Secret History: Return of the Black Death Channel 4, 7-8pm In 1348 the Black Death swept through London, killing people within days of the appearance of their first symptoms. Exactly how many died, and why, has long been a mystery. This Secret History documentary follows experts as they pick through the evidence and reveal why the plague killed on such a scale. And they ask, what might be coming next?

Medscape

Death is the new sex, last great taboo in Western society and Western medicine, as Richard Smith discusses in his editorial (p 129). In the trinity of births, marriages, and deaths, only death does not have glossy magazines devoted to stylish consumption at the attendant ceremonies. On the web, of course, …

Death and dying

MEDICAL LITERATURE has been deluged during the past few years with books and papers on penicillin; but a book which has been produced under the general editorship of Sir Alexander Fleming himself represents a complete and authoritative summary of penicillin therapy as it stands today.' The book contains a series of independent contributions by \"experienced and eminent men who have worked with penicillin in Great Britain\". Their opinions and practical methods differ slightly, and there is some overlapping; but these are not disadvantageous, comparison and contrast lending interest to the reading. In the first or general section of the book Fleming contributes two chapters, one on the history and development of penicillin, introducing some interesting sidelights in the romance of discovery, the other on the bacteriological control of penicillin therapy. In both chapters the information is set out in meticulous detail and with a clarity and simplicity which can be enjoyed by all readers. Fleming also gives the right perspective to the place of penicillin amongst the antibiotics and lays down the principles of treatment. Both chapters are well illustrated and are the most outstanding in the book. Included in this first section also are chapters on the chemistry and manufacture of penicillin and its pharmacy, pharmacology and methods of administration. The second section of the book is entirely clinical, giving each author's view on the use of penicillin therapy in a disease or an infection of some particular region of the body. The entire range of peniCillin-sensitive conditions is considered in twenty authoritative and clearly written chapters; these contain many references and illustrations. Dental and veterinary diseases are also given fairly full consideration. The final section is a condensed resume of much of the preceding chapters and is written for. the general practttioner. This chapter is superttuous: it does not contain enough detall to be of much practical value. The book as a Whole, however, will undoubtedly be considered a classical contribution to medical literature and is strongly recommended, not only because of the general interest of its topic, but as a reference book on penicillin therapy of hitherto unequalled excellence. The typography, although conforming to war economy standards, is clear and the paper is good. There is an excellent list of references and the index is satisfactory.

Gray's Anatomy

Experimental Neurology By Prof Paul Glees Pp xii + 532 (Oxford: Clarendon Press; London: Oxford University Press, 1961) 75s net

The Nervous System

The study group.

Functional Anatomy of the

Object The diagnosis and treatment of Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) has evolved over the last few decades. The authors present their surgical experience of over 2 decades of treating children with this form of hindbrain herniation. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective review of their institutional experience with the surgical treatment of the pediatric CM-I from 1989 to 2010. Results The 2 most common presentations were headache/neck pain (40%) and scoliosis (18%). Common associated diagnoses included neurofibromatosis Type 1 (5%) and idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (4.2%). Spine anomalies included scoliosis (18%), retroversion of the odontoid process (24%), Klippel-Feil anomaly (3%), and atlantooccipital fusion (8%). Approximately 3% of patients had a known family member with CM-I. Hydrocephalus was present in 48 patients (9.6%). Syringomyelia was present in 285 patients (57%), and at operation, 12% of patients with syringomyelia were found to have an arachnoid veil occluding the fourth...

Institutional experience with 500 cases of surgically treated pediatric Chiari malformation Type I.

Object. The aim of this study was to present the long-term findings of a surgical series of pediatric patients with Chiari I malformations. Methods. One hundred thirty symptomatic pediatric patients with Chiari I malformations underwent posterior fossa decompression. The age in this group of patients ranged from 2 months to 20 years (mean 11 years). The length of the hospital stay extended from 2 to 7 days (mean 2.7 days), and follow up was from 3 months to 15 years (mean 4.2 years). Patients most often presented with headache/neck pain (38%) and scoliosis (18%). Examples of associated diagnoses included neurofibromatosis Type 1 (5.5%), hydrocephalus (11%), idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (5.5%), and Klippel—Feil anomaly (5%). Syringes were present in 58% of patients. Seventeen percent of patients had caudal displacement of the brainstem and fourth ventricle. Postoperative relief of preoperative pathologies was experienced in 83% of patients. Of the most common presenting symptoms—headache/neck pain ...

Surgical experience in 130 pediatric patients with Chiari I malformations.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had enormous effects on anatomy education. During the pandemic, students have had no access to cadavers, which has been the principal way to learn anatomy since the 17th century. As it is difficult to predict future access to cadavers for students or in-person classes, anatomy educators are encouraged to revisit all possible teaching methods in order to develop innovations. Here, we review anatomy education methods to apply to current and future education.

A review of anatomy education during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Revisiting traditional and modern methods to achieve future innovation.

Both the diagnosis and treatment regimens for the Chiari I malformation (CIM) are varied and controversial. The present paper analyzes the literature regarding this form of hindbrain herniation in regard to definition, anatomy, pathobiology, symptoms, findings, treatment, and outcomes. Appropriate literature germane to the CIM is reviewed and discussed. There is variation in the reported anatomy, outcome, and treatment for children with CIM. Based on the literature, most patients have preoperative symptoms or findings (e.g., syringomyelia) improve no matter what surgical technique is utilized. However, standardized treatment paradigms based on randomized controlled studies are still necessary to elucidate the optimal selection and treatment criteria.

R. Shane Tubbs

Papers

Functional Anatomy of the

Institutional experience with 500 cases of surgically treated pediatric Chiari malformation Type I.

Surgical experience in 130 pediatric patients with Chiari I malformations.

A review of anatomy education during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Revisiting traditional and modern methods to achieve future innovation.

The pediatric Chiari I malformation: a review