Charles Bernard Puestow (1902-1973): American surgeon and commander of the 27th Evacuation Hospital during the Second World War.

Dr. Charles Bernard Puestow (1902-1973) was an American surgeon who is well known for developing the longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy, which is known as the "Puestow procedure" in his honor. Puestow served in the American military during the Second World War and commanded the 27th Evacuation Hospital, which provided medical and surgical services to wounded individuals in Europe and North Africa.

Herbal diuretics in medieval Persian and Arabic medicine.

Objective: In accord with the notions of humoralism that prevailed in medieval medicine, therapeutic interventions, including diuretics, were used to restore the disturbed balance among the four humors of the human body: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Most diuretics were derived from plants. The primary textual reference on herbal diuretics was Dioscorides's De Materia Medica, which was written during the first century CE.

The enigmatic psalterium: a review and anatomic study with relevance to callosotomy procedures.

Background: Recalcitrant seizures after callosotomy procedures are challenging to treat. One commissure, the psalterium, has received little attention.

Objective: To review the literature on this structure, and with dissection, better elucidate its morphology and relationships.

Outlaw motorcycle gangs: aspects of the one-percenter culture for emergency department personnel to consider.

Outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) are an iconic element of the criminal landscape in the United States, the country of their origin. Members of OMGs may present to the emergency department (ED) as a result of motor vehicle accidents or interpersonal violence. When one member of an OMG is injured, other members and associates are likely to arrive in the ED to support the injured member.

The Mozzafari Hospital of Shiraz, Persia.

Introduction: This article discusses three significant hospitals that were constructed in medieval Persia, specifically in the city of Shiraz, which is located in central present-day Iran. The first of these three hospitals is the Azodi Hospital, which was constructed during the Buyid dynasty. The second hospital was constructed during the Salghurid dynasty and is referred to as the Mozzafari Hospital by a primary source written by Qutb al-Din Shirazi, a physician who worked there.

Johann Conrad Brunner (1653-1727) and the first description of syringomyelia.

Introduction: Johann Conrad Brunner (1653-1727) was a European anatomist and physician whose research concerning the pancreas and duodenum has made him a prominent figure in medicine. However, Brunner should also be recognized for his descriptions of syringomyelia, which were originally published in 1688 and included in the second edition of Theophilus Boneti's compendium of postmortem examinations, the Sepulchretum, which was published in 1700.

Conclusions: Our current understanding of syringomyelia is based on the early observations of researchers such as Johann Conrad Brunner.

Nasal Myiasis in Hinduism and Contemporary Otorhinolaryngology.

Various case reports on nasal myiasis written during the 1990s and 2000s state that nasal myiasis, which is known as peenash among South Asian natives, is a form of divine punishment in Hindu mythology, but do not provide citations from Hindu scriptures that would suggest this interpretation. This paper aims to discuss the phenomenon of peenash in a historical context by examining medical literature written during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, to identify Hindu texts contributing to the belief of some Hindus that nasal myiasis is a form of divine punishment, and to provide an overview of contemporary treatment for and management of nasal myiasis.

The naming of the cranial nerves: a historical review.

The giants of medicine and anatomy have each left their mark on the history of the cranial nerves, and much of the history of anatomic study can be viewed through the lens of how the cranial nerves were identified and named. A comprehensive literature review on the classification of the cranial names was performed. The identification of the cranial nerves began with Galen in the 2nd century AD and evolved up through the mid-20th century.

Yubitsume: ritualistic self-amputation of proximal digits among the Yakuza.

Yubitsume is the ritualistic self-amputation of the proximal digits at the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) among members of the Japanese Mafia, or Yakuza. This practice of self-mutilation is done as a sign of apology for making a mistake deemed punishable by higher-ranking members or violating the code of the Yakuza. Members of the Yakuza may present to emergency departments seeking medical assistance to stop hemorrhage or treat infection at the site of injury following self-amputation or to have the severed portion of the injured finger reattached.

The "bagel head" cosmetic modification: myths and medical complications for dermatologists to consider.

On September 23, 2012, the television program Taboo on the National Geographic Channel featured individuals in Tokyo undergoing the "bagel head" cosmetic modification. Dermatologists may encounter patients who undergo the bagel head procedure and subsequently present with a cutaneous infection. The purpose of this article is to delineate the bagel head procedure, note responses to sensationalist claims made by the media about this procedure, and discuss potential medical complications from this procedure.

Blood Supply to the human spinal cord: part II. Imaging and pathology.

The blood supply of the spinal cord is a complex system based on multilevel sources and anastomoses. Diseases often affect this vascular supply and imaging has been developed that better investigates these structures. The authors review the literature regarding pathology and imaging modalities for the blood supply of the spinal cord.

Blood supply to the human spinal cord: part I. Anatomy and hemodynamics.

The arterial network that supplies the human spinal cord, which was once thought to be similar to that of the brain, is in fact much different and more extensive. In this article, the authors attempt to provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the anatomy and known hemodynamics of the blood supply to the human spinal cord. Additionally, as the medical literature often fails to provide accurate terminology for the arteries that supply the cord, the authors attempt to categorize and clarify this nomenclature.

Diagnosis of septo-optic dysplasia in a neonate with hypernatremia, hypoglycemia, and persistent hypothermia.

A term neonate was diagnosed with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) on the 11th day of life. The patient had hypernatremia, hypoglycemia, and hypothermia. The patient's persistent hypothermia prompted a head ultrasound to examine for abnormalities of the central nervous system, which suggested an absent septum pellucidum.

Use of the human calvaria and skull as alms bowls and drinking vessels by Aghori ascetics in present-day India.

Introduction: The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of the human calvaria and skull as alms bowls and drinking vessels by a sect of Hindu ascetics in present-day India known as the Aghoris. The authors attempt to explain the rationale behind the Aghoris' use of the human calvaria and skull in this manner.

Methods: A review of the literature using standard search engines was conducted to obtain information about the history and philosophy of the Aghori ascetics.

The Foot-Reading Cult of Japan.

Ho-no-Hana-Sanpogyo was a Japanese new religious movement referred to as the "foot-reading cult" in the media. Its founder, Fukunaga Hogen, claimed to have divine authority and the ability to diagnose physical illness by studying the soles of an individual's feet. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the history of Ho-no-Hana-Sanpogyo and Fukunaga's practice of foot reading.

Ischiopagus and diprosopus in India: two pairs of conjoined twins perceived as incarnations of Hindu deities.

This article briefly reviews two specific types of conjoined twins, ischiopagus and diprosopus, and discusses recent cases of such twins born in India. Some members of the Hindu community worshiped these conjoined twins as incarnations of Hindu deities. In discussing this phenomenon, the authors aim to elucidate certain features of the faith tradition of Hinduism itself.

Benjamin Hobson (1816-1873): His work as a medical missionary and influence on the practice of medicine and knowledge of anatomy in China and Japan.

Benjamin Hobson was a British missionary and physician who lived in China for twenty years. He founded multiple hospitals in Southern China and used his knowledge of Western medicine to educate Chinese doctors. He wrote several medical textbooks in Chinese of which the first was the A New Theory of the Body (1851).