Oxford Medical Histories

Epilepsy is a common disease of the brain, occurring in roughly 1% of all people, and although repeated epileptic seizures are its clinical hallmark, epilepsy is not just a medical phenomenon, but a social construct, with cultural, political, and financial consequences. People with epilepsy are exposed to stigma and burdened with disadvantages which can be far reaching. There are indeed many remedies, but no cure. This book provides a biography of modern epilepsy in the form of a brief and selective narrative of some of the important developments in medical and social epilepsy research, with its many ups and downs, over the period since 1860. Its anatomy of modern epilepsy in eight chapters is, inevitably in this short book, selective, and intentionally provocative. The book’s main objective is to provide both a survey of the evolution of epilepsy and its treatment in the post-Jacksonian era, and also a critical look at where we are today and how we got there. This book tries to make an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff in the development of better epilepsy care. Good and bad events and concepts of historic consequence are discussed. It is acknowledged that, although the end of epilepsy is in reach of some, there is at present no prescribed scientific path to the end of epilepsy for others. Regardless of the severity of epilepsy, patients, with the support of their physicians and modern medicine, must create their own solutions to the multiple issues they face.Less

This resource traces the history of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in detail along with a commentary of Edward Meryon's research, which has led to our current understanding of the disease, with full references and informative, historically relevant illustrations.Less

Written by two radiologists who have a passion for the history of their field, The History of Radiology is a beautifully illustrated review of the remarkable developments within radiology and the scientists and pioneers who were involved. This engaging and authoritative history will appeal to a wide audience including medical students studying for the Diploma in the History of Medicine of the Society of Apothecaries (DHMSA), doctors, medical physicists, medical historians and radiographers.Less