Quail poisoning in a child.

Context: It has been well known since ancient times that the consumption of quail may be deleterious to health. The European quail sub-species (Coturnix coturnix coturnix), common to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia is indeed potentially poisonous to humans, but only during the autumn migration (not during their return flight in spring). Quail poisoning is an acute dietary-toxicological syndrome.

The use of the kidneys in secular and ritual practices according to ancient Greek and Byzantine texts.

The use of kidneys in secular and spiritual practices was very common for centuries. In this article we present some references on their employment as sacrificial offers, as plain food or as a source for medicaments. Our material derives from Greek texts of the Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras.

Illustrious personalities of ancient and Byzantine Greece with renal problems.

It is a traditional practice to divide history in two main categories. First, Great History, that is the important events, such as wars, revolutions, conquests, that shaped our world during the past centuries. Secondly, Minor History, that is events in the lives of important persons, gossips at the Courts, trivial coincidences, that made people wonder and discuss them.