An early Prussian Study on the Composition of Milk from 1871.

Connections between the 2 scientific fields of physiology and dairy science did exist for a very long time since the 19th century. One possible explanation for this circumstance could have been the necessity for financial support, which might have played a significant role for many theoretical physiologists to conduct studies on dairy products. This study discusses a correspondence written by the physiologist R. Gscheidlen to J. A. Winter, the main editor of the German (previously Saxon) journal 'Schmidt's Yearbooks on the Entire Field of Domestic and Foreign Medicine' ("Schmids Jahrbücher der in - und ausländischen gesammten Medicin"). Gscheidlen submitted a review manuscript on the composition of milk to Winter's journal. In that work, which was published later as the first issue's very first article of the first volume (of in total 4 quarterly volumes) in 1871, Gscheidlen mainly refers to Eduard Kemmerich's studies who later became a pioneer of cattle breeding in Argentine. Therefore, studies on dairy products and on dairy science, although regularly not very significant from a theoretical and physiological point of view, obviously had concrete implications for practical purposes. Furthermore, other parts of Winter's journal, volumes 1871, indicate that Gscheidlen tried to connect these studies with his early theoretical works on physiological metabolism. These theoretical studies included experiments which already explored basic principles of the urea cycle from today's point of view. Of course, these works, which were partly carried out on animals, must have been elaborate and expensive. For that reason, it is possible to assume that early dairy science and other scientific fields in Germany around 1870, which were linked to the developing food industry, had a very significant influence on the advances in theoretical metabolism physiology.

History of Eugenics in Otorhinolaryngology: Ernst Rüdin and the International Eugenics Network.

Introduction The early geneticist and psychiatrist Ernst Rüdin (1874-1952) became one of the key figures in the eugenics movement and in the German health system of the Nazi era. His connections in the international eugenics network have played an important role in the history of eugenics. Objective To discuss the connections between Ernst Rüdin's scientific group in Munich and Otmar von Verschuer's group in Frankfurt during the Nazi era. Methods Otorhinolaryngological materials from Ernst Rüdin's former private library are presented, and they show Rüdin's deep involvement in the international eugenics network. These materials provide insights into early medical genetics in otorhinolaryngology. Results One result of the present study is that eugenics groups from Munich, Frankfurt, and New York certainly influenced one another in the field of otorhinolaryngology. Karlheinz Idelberger and Josef Mengele were two scientists who performed hereditary research on orofacial clefts. Later, Mengele became deeply involved in Nazi medical crimes. His former work on orofacial clefts clearly had, to some extent, an influence on subsequent studies. Conclusion An international eugenics network already existed before 1933. However, it becomes clear that the weaknesses of many early genetic studies did not enable its authors to draw firm scientific conclusions, suggesting that scientists lacked an accurate concept of the genetic causes of most illnesses.

History of Eugenics in Otorhinolaryngology: Ernst Rüdin and the International Eugenics Network

Abstract Introduction The early geneticist and psychiatrist Ernst Rüdin (1874-1952) became one of the key figures in the eugenics movement and in the German health system of the Nazi era. His connections in the international eugenics network have played an important role in the history of eugenics. Objective To discuss the connections between Ernst Rüdin's scientific group in Munich and Otmar von Verschuer's group in Frankfurt during the Nazi era. Methods Otorhinolaryngological materials from Ernst Rüdin's former private library are presented, and they show Rüdin's deep involvement in the international eugenics network. These materials provide insights into early medical genetics in otorhinolaryngology. Results One result of the present study is that eugenics groups from Munich, Frankfurt, and New York certainly influenced one another in the field of otorhinolaryngology. Karlheinz Idelberger and Josef Mengele were two scientists who performed hereditary research on orofacial clefts. Later, Mengele became deeply involved in Nazi medical crimes. His former work on orofacial clefts clearly had, to some extent, an influence on subsequent studies. Conclusion An international eugenics network already existed before 1933. However, it becomes clear that the weaknesses of many early genetic studies did not enable its authors to draw firm scientific conclusions, suggesting that scientists lacked an accurate concept of the genetic causes of most illnesses.

[The historical diagnosis of 'hysterical scoliosis']. / Die historische Differenzialdiagnose der 'hysterischen Skoliose'.

BACKGROUND: Until the beginning of the 20th century, 'hysterical scoliosis' could be considered an established diagnosis in Middle Europe's German-speaking countries. The responsible physicians claimed that certain cases of scoliosis were caused solely by psychological factors, and they did not distinguish between real scoliosis (e.g. with neuromuscular cause) and abnormal posture caused by psychological reasons. Instead, 'hysterical scoliosis' was obviously believed to be a real scoliosis caused by psychologically induced contractures. OBJECTIVE: This study critically discusses the historical diagnosis 'hysterical scoliosis' from today's point of view. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This work is based on historical research (including journals and literature) approximately from the time around 1900. Furthermore, it is also based on recently discovered original material. RESULTS: The original material is a correspondence between H. Schlesinger and G. Muskat, who published an article about 'hysterical scoliosis' in Schlesinger's journal. CONCLUSIONS: Obviously, the underlying medical concepts of 'hysterical scoliosis' were wrong and led to clear diagnostic problems and inaccuracies. 'Hysterical scoliosis' can be considered one of adolescent psychiatry's early fashionable illnesses around the year 1900.

Distribution of serotonin 4(a) receptors in the juvenile rat brain and spinal cord.

In the last 20 years there have been many studies investigating the distribution of 5-HT4-receptors in the brain of different species. Most studies are methodically based on RT-PCR or in situ hybridization and have analysed the receptors at the mRNA level. Furthermore there have been some autoradiographic studies using specific 5-HT4-receptor antagonists like [(3)H]GR113808, [(3)H]BIMU-1 or [(125)I]SB207710. This study investigates the topographical distribution of the 5-HT4(a)-receptor in the juvenile rat brain and spinal cord, which is important for neuromodulation of cellular excitability and could be involved in various developmental processes of the central nervous system. We analysed the 5-HT4(a)-receptor at protein level with a monospecific polyclonal antibody by using an immunohistochemical staining. We saw an intensive staining in some areas of the cortex, in the olfactory bulb, in most areas of the cerebellum, in hippocampal areas like the dentate gyrus and in several different areas of the brainstem, especially in the motor nuclei. Overall we have shown comparable results in accordance with the results of other studies investigating the distribution of 5-HT4(a)-receptors. Some areas like the islands of Calleja, the preoptic nucleus or the medial habenular nucleus showed a lower intensity of 5-HT4(a)-receptors in comparison with the results of other studies. As a novel result we found a higher intensity of 5-HT4(a)-receptor in several brain areas associated with motor function than was shown by other studies, especially in the motor cortex, in different areas of the cerebellum, in the red nucleus, in the motor nuclei of the brainstem or in the ventral horn cells of the spinal cord. We conclude that the 5-HT4(a)-receptor may play a more prominent role in the modulation of motor cortico-ponto-cerebellar, cortico-spinal, rubro-spinal, vestibulo-spinal and cortico-nuclear tracts during juvenile development.