Thomas Sydenham e o Epistolary discourse: uma ponte entre duas histerias / Thomas Sydenham and the Epistolary discourse: a bridge between two hysterias / Thomas Sydenham y el Epistolary discourse: un puente entre dos histerias / Thomas Sydenham et le Epistolary discourse: un pont entre deux hystéries

Uma observação das narrativas sobre a história da histeria revela que nem sempre aqueles que as elaboraram levaram em consideração o aspecto fundamentalmente historiográfico da proposta, tomando inferências como se fossem fatos históricos. Esse deslize originou narrativas que não deveriam ser classificadas como história, mas, mais apropriadamente, como mitologias. Com frequência, a trajetória da histeria começa na medicina egípcia, segue em um continuum por Hipócrates, pelas bruxas da Idade Média, pelos vapores do Iluminismo, até chegar à Salpêtrière, a Charcot e, em seguida, a Freud. Porém, do ponto de vista historio-gráfico (e evitando o anacronismo), esse curso pode não ser tão seguro. O artigo revê essa trajetória e propõe que a história da histeria implicaria dois estágios, separando-se a histeria doença do útero da histeria neurose. Uma ponte entre as duas concepções teria sido estabelecida por Thomas Sydenham, em 1682, no Epistolary discourse to the learned Dr. William Cole.

Analysis of the narratives on the history of hysteria reveals that those who elaborated them did not always take into account the fundamentally historiographical aspect of that proposal, and some inferences were considered as historical facts. This error gave rise to narratives that should not be classified as histories, but rather as mythologies. All too often, the historical trail of hysteria is taken to begin in Egyptian medicine, and then follow a continuum: to Hippocrates, the witches of the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment, the Salpêtrière, Charcot, and then Freud. However, from a historiographical point of view (and avoiding anachronism), this appears not to be the reliable sequence. This paper reviews that trajectory and proposes that a history of hysteria would unfold in two stages, distinguishing hysteria, as a disease of the uterus, from hysteria, as a neurosis. In such a proposal, a bridge between the two conceptions would have been established by Thomas Sydenham in 1682, with the Epistolary Discourse to the Learned Dr. William Cole.

La observación de los relatos sobre la historia de la histeria revela que quienes los elaboraron, no siempre han tenido en cuenta el aspecto fundamentalmente historiográfico de la propuesta, tomando inferencias como hechos históricos. Este desliz dio lugar a narraciones que no deberían clasificarse como historia, sino como mitologías. El trayecto histórico de la histeria comienza a menudo en la medicina egipcia, sigue en un continuum por Hipócrates, las brujas de la Edad Media, los vapores del Iluminismo, hasta llegar a Salpêtrière, Charcot y luego Freud. Sin embargo, desde un punto de vista historiográfico, y evitando el anacronismo, este camino puede no ser tan seguro. En este artículo se revisa esta trayectoria y se propone que la historia de la histeria involucraría dos etapas, separando la histeria, enfermedad del útero, de la histeria, una neurosis. Un puente entre las dos concepciones habría sido establecido por Thomas Sydenham, en 1682, en el Epistolary Discourse to the Learned Dr. William Cole.

L'observation des récits sur l'histoire de l'hystérie révèle que ceux qui les ont élaborés n'ont pas toujours pris en compte l'aspect fondamentalement historiographique de la proposition, en prenant certaines inférences comme s'elles étaient des faits historiques. Cette omission a donné lieu à des récits qui ne devraient pas être considérés comme de l'histoire, mais plutôt comme des mythologies. Le chemin historique de l'hystérie commence souvent dans la médecine égyptienne, suit un continuum à travers Hippocrate, les sorcières du Moyen Age, les vapeurs de l'Illuminisme, la Salpêtrière, Charcot et, ensuite, Freud. Cependant, d'un point de vue historiographique (et en évitant l'anachronisme), cette voie pourrait ne pas être si sûre. L'article reformule cette trajectoire et propose que l'histoire de l'hystérie se déroule en deux étapes, en séparant l'hystérie, la maladie de l'utérus, de l'hystérie que l'on appelle la névrose. Un pont entre les deux conceptions aurait été établi par Thomas Sydenham, en 1682, dans le Epistolary Discourse to the Learned Dr. William Cole.

Cotton Mather's medicine, with particular reference to measles.

While the vocation of Cotton Mather (1663-1728) was his ministry in Boston, he made important contributions to medicine, most famously in helping to introduce variolation to New England in 1721-22 and in writing The Angel of Bethesda (1724), the first medical treatise produced in Colonial North America. This article, however, focuses on an earlier initiative, Mather's efforts to quell the epidemic of measles that struck Boston in 1713, killing among many others his wife and three children. Historians have devoted little attention to this episode or to measles in general, even though the disease was highly mortal during the colonial period. To help victims, Mather published a 'letter' on treating measles. Such a specific discussion of treatment would have been rare in Europe and it was unprecedented in America. The therapy that Mather proposed not only reflected popular medicine but also incorporated newer practices, notably those associated with Thomas Sydenham. In contrast to heroic therapies for measles, which were often dangerous but became more popular across the eighteenth century, Mather's recommendations were moderate.

Aging and endothelin: determinants of disease.

Since the beginning of the 20th century human life expectancy has doubled to more than 80 years, and growth and aging of the world population now represent major challenges for healthcare providers, political decision makers, and societies. Cellular senescence is associated with a general, pro-inflammatory state, which represents the common denominator between aging and chronic diseases and their progression. Approaches to interfere with these changes and to allow healthy aging involve modulation of the cellular activity of modifiable molecular mediators (MMMs), such as signaling molecules and growth factors. ET-1 - the biologically predominant member of the endothelin peptide family - is an endothelial cell-derived peptide with a wide variety of developmental and physiological functions, which include embryogenesis, nociception, and natriuresis. In addition, ET-1 is a cytokine-like, multifunctional peptide with pro-inflammatory, mitogenic, and vasoconstrictor properties. If produced in excess amounts ET-1 promotes disease - mainly via activation of its ETA receptor. Because of its multiple disease-promoting functions ET-1 represents an ideal target MMM. Preclinical studies targeting either activity or production of ET-1 - utilizing ERAs, ARBs, or ACEIs, respectively - have demonstrated that partial regression of aging-associated changes in vasculature and kidney is possible. In this article I will review the molecular regulation of ET-1 and its role in the physiology of vascular homeostasis, aging, and cellular senescence. The clinical implications of activators of ET-1 overproduction, modalities for delaying or reversing aging-related cellular changes, as well as interventions to promote healthy aging and early disease prevention - particularly physical activity - are discussed.

The creation of the English Hippocrates.

This article examines the process by which the London physician Thomas Sydenham (1624-89) rose to fame as the English Hippocrates in the late seventeenth century. It provides a survey of the evidence for the establishment of Sydenham's reputation from his own writings, his professional relations, and the writings of his supporters and detractors. These sources reveal that in the first decades of his career Sydenham had few supporters and faced much opposition. However, by the end of the seventeenth century, Sydenham was the object of extraordinary outbursts of adulation and had become renowned for his decrying of hypotheses and speculative theory, his promotion of natural histories of disease, and the purported similarities between his medical method and that of Hippocrates. It is argued that Sydenham's positive reputation owed little to his achievements in medicine: it was almost entirely the result of his promotion by the philosopher John Locke and a small group of sympathetic physicians. It was they who created the English Hippocrates.