MEDICINE: Perspectives in History and Art

Robert E. Greenspan, MD is a practicing nephrologist and is available to speak on all topics covered in Medicine: Perspectives in History and Art at medical school Grand Rounds, universities, organizations, and meetings. Below are examples of two available Power Point presentations:

What Every Physician Should Know:
Lessons from the Past

Medical school training in history is often neglected, so my goal is to get students up to speed in a 55 minute period. I use lots of quotes and pictures, many from my book, but also many from other sources. The talk is a lot of fun and while it covers all that students should know before they graduate, I have included much that is of interest to residents and attendings:

a) Landmarks in the Second Oldest Profession

• Aesculapius, the Caduceus, and the Hippocratic Oath
• First Medical Illustrations and Procedures
• Brief History of Anatomy and the Emergence of Medicine
• Landmarks in Medical Literature and Art
• Early Diagnosis and the Origin of the Stethoscope
• History of the "Rx" and Early Therapeutics
• Ancient Therapy and Modern Physiology
• The First Great Medical Discoveries: Asepsis and Anesthesia

b) Diseases You Won't See in Private Practice

• Leprosy, Plague, Tertiary Syphilis, Smallpox

c) Doctors Behaving Badly

• Gender Bias
• Physicians Hiding their Medical Discoveries
• Famous Plagiarism
• False Advertising
• Quackery

d) Patient/Physician Relationships

• Off to a Bad Start — Quotes by Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and Mark Twain

e) Learn some Latin and Impress Your Attending

• Hippocrates and Maimonides

f) Practice Advice from the Greats

• Quotes by Hippocrates, Thomas Jefferson, and Wm Osler

Lecture objectives:
1) Achieve an understanding of the roots of clinical medicine
2) Become familiar with landmarks in medical
    literature and art
3) Review practice guidelines from the medical greats

Medicine: Perspectives in History and Art

The purpose of this lecture is to present medical history from the viewpoint of past physicians and patients through medical art and direct quotes. This presentation is ideal for general medical audiences and audience participation makes this an especially enjoyable hour.

a) Anatomy

• Classic Art
• Great Books

b) Physical Diagnosis

• Origin of the Stethoscope
• Urine Diagnosis

c) Bleeding

• The Four Humours
• Cupping

d) Surgery

• Hemostasis
• The Discovery of Anesthesia
• Asepsis

e) Trauma Surgery

• Trepanning
• Civil War Surgery

f) Obstetrics

• Great Art
• Discovery of the OB Forceps
• Vesiculo-Vaginal Fistula

g) Urology and the Treatment of Stones

h) Ophthalmology and ENT

i) Medicine

• Infectious Disease: Plague, Leprosy, Syphilis
• Smallpox and Vaccination

j) Pharmacy

• Herbs
• Homeopathy
• Advertising

k) Dentistry

l) Quack Medicine

• Magnetism
• Electricity
• Radioactivity