PHOTOGRAPH: THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF EDINBURGH
PHOTOGRAPH: UTERINE CANCER - CNRI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
ADDENDA Object obscura:
carbolic acid spray THIS carbolic acid spray device was used by the surgeon Joseph Lister (1827-1912) for sterilising the operating environment. Lister discovered that carbolic acid (already used for drain cleaning) killed germs that could lead to post-surgical infection and septicaemia. His methods greatly reduced mortality from surgery. Lister later abandoned the carbolic acid spray deciding that airborne microorganisms were of less
consequence than those on the surgeon’s hands and instruments. Find out more on page 12 of this issue.
From the archives: an explanation “hardly satisfactory”
Crossword 1234 5 6 7 89
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11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 16 21 22
ISSUES of class are less apparent (if not common) in UK healthcare today than a century ago. One case recorded in the October 1904 Minute Book of the MDDUS Council tells of an Edinburgh doctor who was called to attend the house-keeper of a well-to-do lady. Upon examining the woman the doctor suspected uterine cancer. A joint consultation with a consultant was arranged and a biopsy was taken. Te tissue sample was sent to the laboratory of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for examination. Te doctor was going on holiday and informed his colleague
23 ACROSS
1. Instrument to expand an opening (7)
5. Painful muscle contraction (5) 7.
Stitches (7)
8. Old name for Type II Diabetes (abbr.) (5)
10. Biological units of heredity (5) 11. Process of getting older (6) 13. Vomiting (6) 16. Womb (6) 18. Digestive enzyme (6) 19. Spherical bacteria (5) 21. Brand name disinfectant (5)
22. Drug that binds to receptor of a cell (7)
23. Poisonous substance (5) 24. Produces calcitonin (7)
24
DOWN 1. Planned (7) 2. Archaic language (5) 3. Words or expressions (5) 4. Rogue (6) 5. Permission (7) 6. Small long-haired dog (3) 9. Arabian currency (5)
12. _________ suicide, as practised by Dignitas (8)
14. Equalises (5)
15. Formed in the islets of Langerhans (7)
17. Unbroken (6) 19. Old companion (5) 20. Capital of Egypt (5) 21. Auction item (3)
See answers online at
www.mddus.com. Go to the Notice Board page under News and Events.
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that the lab results should be sent to the consultant and appropriate action taken. One month later the lady of the house wrote to the doctor
expressing her dissatisfaction that nothing had yet been done in regard to the house-keeper’s condition. Enquires at the laboratory revealed that the pressure of work and the unavailability of a skilled pathologist had resulted in no examination of the biopsy material. Te lady wrote: “Your explanations are hardly satisfactory.
Perhaps my meaning will be best expressed by what many men have said – that you would not have dared to have treated their wives or themselves in such a manner”. Te doctor was outraged and wrote asking that MDDUS obtain
an apology. In its minutes the advisory committee of the Union formed the opinion that it was the pathologist primarily at fault and that the “representative of the Laboratory should have said that they could not undertake the work – September being their holiday month.” As for the doctor and his desired apology, he was tactfully
advised not to press his luck in the matter. Nothing more is recorded regarding the fate of the housekeeper.
SUMMONS
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