The illness of William Soutar (1898-1943).

William Soutar (1898-1943) was a Scottish poet, but many are unaware of his scholarly work which includes his famous "brain-rhymes". He was born in Perth Scotland in 1898. He was educated at Perth Primary School and Perth Academy and proved to be adept at sport and academics.

Medical aspects of the tour by Martin Martin (c 1660-1719) of the Western and Northern Islands of Scotland, Circa 1695.

This review is based investigations on the Western Isles, Scotland, by Martin Martin, a notable Scottish Highlander, academic and medical doctor, of the 17th-18th century. His extensive observations of the geography and peoples of these Isles were recorded in his books, "On the Description of the Western Islands of Scotland Circa 1695" and "A Late Voyage to St Kilda". In these books and subsequent papers there were some noteworthy observations on the occurrence (and as he says non-occurrence) of "epidemical" diseases and conditions afflicting the peoples of The Isle of Skye and the Western Isles of Scotland in this period, and these are discussed in this review.

Treatment of rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders.

Non-medicinal therapies with water, salts, exercise, massage, supportive devices, and electricity have been used for centuries and continue to be of benefit for some people with musculoskeletal disorders. Historical texts refer to the two electuaries mithridatium and theriaca as early therapeutic attempts of man to provide relief of musculoskeletal symptoms and attempt disease cures. For over 200 years, morphine-derived products have been used for musculoskeletal pain.

Narcotic analgesics.

There is documentation of the use of opium derived products in the ancient history of the Assyrians: the Egyptians; in the sixth century AD by the Roman Dioscorides; and by Avicenna (980-1037). Reference to opium like products is made by Paracelsus and by Shakespeare. Charles Louis Derosne and Fredrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner isolated morphine from raw opium in 1802 and 1806 respectively, and it was Sertürner who named the substance morphine, after Morpheus, the Greek God of dreams.

Surgery of joints.

Crude forms of musculoskeletal surgery have been performed through history for the treatment of deformity, pain and the horrors of battle. In more modern times Muller is credited with the first synovectomy in rheumatoid arthritis in 1884, and a Synovectomy was first performed by Richard von Volkmann (1830-1889) for joint tuberculosis. Chemical synovectomy consisting of the intra-articular injection of various agents was popular for a while but is now largely discarded.

Rheumatoid arthritis.

It is difficult to determine from ancient writings, old human specimens, and from Art over the centuries, as to when Rheumatoid Arthritis first appeared. It may be a relatively modern condition, as it was reasonably well described in the seventeenth century. Augustin Jacob Landre-Beauvais (1772-1840), University of Paris is credited, with the first clear description of the disease in his thesis.

Pharmacology of intra-articular triamcinolone.

Introduction: The inflammatory joint diseases of juvenile inflammatory arthritis (JIA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA): and also mild to moderate joint injury, all require a multidisciplinary approach to management. Intra-articular injections of corticosteroids have been shown to be a very beneficial adjunctive treatment in the management of the above disorders. It is, therefore, important that clinicians have a good understanding of the clinical actions of intra-articular injections.

Osteoarthritis of the hand I: aetiology and pathogenesis, risk factors, investigation and diagnosis.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand can be a debilitating condition that hinders an individual's quality of life. With multiple joints within the hand that are commonly affected OA, an individual's ability to use their hand in everyday movements become more limited. The article aims to review literature on the aetiology and pathogenesis of OA, risk factors, characteristics of hand OA and the steps of diagnosis.

Osteoarthritis of the hand II: chemistry, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of naproxen, and clinical outcome studies.

Objective: This article aims to review osteoarthritis of the hand and the role of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) naproxen on its management. We discuss the chemical and pharmacological properties of naproxen and the NSAID class, with an emphasis on its mechanism and adverse reactions. In the context of part I of this paper in characterizing hand osteoarthritis (OA), we review clinical trials that have been conducted involving hand OA and naproxen.

The musculoskeletal abnormalities of the Similaun Iceman ("ÖTZI"): clues to chronic pain and possible treatments.

Background And Introduction: In 1991, a deceased human male was found frozen in a glacier pool in the Italian Alps in north west Italy, and is now carefully preserved in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, in Bolzano, Italy. The bodily tissues of the 5,300 year old male (colloquially referred to as the Iceman or Ötzi) were well preserved despite damage related to freezing, and glacial movement. Associated articles of well-preserved clothing, tools, weapons and other devices were also present and have been studied in detail.

Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Part II: therapy with ibuprofen and a review of clinical trials.

Objectives: We review the pharmacological properties and clinical evidence pertaining to the efficacy of ibuprofen as a first-line treatment in hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). In the context of our previous paper's exploration of the aetiology and pathogenesis of OA as a basis for pharmacotherapy, we discuss the pharmacokinetics (PK) and clinical pharmacodynamics (PD) of ibuprofen relevant to OA.

Key Findings: Although widely used, the benefits and risks of ibuprofen, especially compared with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and placebo, have only recently been evaluated in OA of the hip and knee in randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCT).

Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Part I: aetiology and pathogenesis as a basis for pharmacotherapy.

Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and hip is among the most frequent and debilitating arthritic conditions. Aside from surgical intervention in severe cases, conventional treatment involves relieving painful symptoms with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), narcotic and non-narcotic (weak) analgesics and physical therapy. To obtain insight into the extent of pathological changes in hip and knee OA we reviewed current literature on the pathogenesis of this state as a basis for current pharmacotherapy options.

Obesity and knee osteoarthritis.

Background: The association between obesity and knee osteoarthritis, and specifically the role of obesity as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis has been well documented. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Blagojevic et al. in Osteoarthr Cartil 18(1):24-33, (2010) examined 36 papers reporting on BMI and found that all studies demonstrated obesity and being overweight to be risk factors for knee osteoarthritis.

Women with pain due to osteoarthritis: the efficacy and safety of a once-daily formulation of tramadol.

Objective: This analysis assesses the efficacy and safety of treatment with a once-daily oral formulation of tramadol for up to 12 weeks compared with placebo in women with moderate-to-severe pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee.

Design: Two parallel, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trials were analyzed; patients were randomized to a fixed dosage of Tramadol Contramid once a day (OAD) 100, 200, and 300 mg daily, or placebo.

Outcome Measures: The primary efficacy end points were the percentage difference from baseline of the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) subscale scores for pain and physical function, and the patient global rating of pain relief after 12 weeks of maintenance therapy.

The use of NSAIDs in rheumatic disorders 2005: a global perspective.

Population studies and World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics indicate that 10-50% of individuals suffer from musculoskeletal disorders. Up to 3% will be classified as disabled due to their bone and joint condition, and the majority will suffer from pain. Almost all will require non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other analgesics for their management.

Oxaprozin: kinetic and dynamic profile in the treatment of pain.

Oxaprozin (4,5-diphenyl-2-oxazolepropionic acid) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which is effective in models of inflammation, pain and pyrexia. It is effective and well tolerated in the clinical management of adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), ankylosing spondylitis, soft tissue disorders and post operative dental pain. Oxaprozin has a high oral bioavailability (95%), with peak plasma concentrations at 3 to 5 hours after dosing.