/library/oar/handle/123456789/15059 2025-11-12T14:38:51Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15317 Title: The St. Luke`s Hospital Gazette : volume 8 issue 1 Abstract: This issue covers a wide array of subjects, from rare diseases such as hemorrhagic chickenpox, diagnosis of fever, the new topical corticosteroid, malignant liver tumors in children, case studies of diarrhea in infants. Two remarkable articles feature the Holy Infirmary of the Order of St. John and the historical parturition chair in Malta. A scientific “Publications List” by graduates of the Maltese medical school is provided. The “Medical News” section presents information regarding outstanding lectures given by physicians, attainments and new positions, as well as obituaries. Reference is also made to the inauguration of the Cobalt Treatment Unit at the King George V Hospital, Malta. Another important news refers to the 28-article Consumer Protection Charter prepared by the Council of Europe, which has been adopted by the parliamentary assembly and will now go to the component governments for acceptance and application. 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15281 Title: Vestiges of the parturition chair in Malta Authors: Cassar, Paul Abstract: It is not known when the birth-chair was introduced in the Maltese Islands. It was recognised as an item of the armamentarium of the midwife and obstetrician by the 18th century. Some of them have been found to be uncomfortable, troublesome and dangerous for the patient. Some of the chairs of Malta were hinged so that they could fold down flat for easy conveyance by the midwife. In 1852 Dr. G. Clinquant designed an obstetrical bed which could be converted into a birth-chair .He demonstrated its mechanism to obstetricians and midwives and explained the "facility and comfort by which every manoeuvre" of delivery could be effected. In the eighties of the last century one Professor Salvatore Luigi Pisani warned midwives against using the chair mainly because, with the patient in a sitting position, the midwife could not maintain adequate flexion of the baby's head by supporting the perineum. It was not easy, however, to convince parturient women to do away with the chair. 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15277 Title: Cholera : some historical reflections Authors: Vella, E.E. Abstract: The cholera vibrio was first discovered by Koch in Egypt in 1883; this he confirmed in Calcutta in 1884 by finding it in every case of the disease examined. This was an excellent piece of research, as was to be expected from that immortal master, with the French team, in the unavoidable absence due to ill-health, of the equally immortal Pasteur, made up of Pasteur's best pupils' acting as a pace maker in Egypt, but it would appear that some merited honour even at this late hour should be given to the Italian Pacini who during the 1854 cholera epidemic in Florence detected the motile vibrios in the faeces of cholera patients and not only described their general morphological appearances but also correctly attributed an ethological relationship to the “immense number of vibrious which I have found in the distended intestines”. Cholera has been one of the biggest if not the biggest, public health problem that the World Health Organisation had to tackle in 1971-72. 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15270 Title: Eye diseases in Malta at the turn of the century Authors: Damato, Francis Joseph Abstract: This work is based on reports published by three ophthalmologists working between the years 1890-1909, namely (1) on Prof. L. Manche's "Rendiconto degli ammalati ammessi durante il Biennio 1890-91 (per il Dottor Salvatore Cassar) nel Comparto Ottalmico dell`Ospedale Centrale di Malta; (2) on "Le Malattie Oculari in Malta: Appunti Clinici e Statistici 1899" by Dr. Giuseppe Norsa an "oculist" from Rome, and (3) on an "Annual Statistical Report of the Eye Diseases treated at the Ophthalmic Institute of Malta from July 1908 to July 1909" by Dr. C. Manche. These reports show that eye diseases at the turn of the century were being treated by the best means available at that time. The surgeons were very well informed about developments on the Continent and tried to do their best. What was needed was the raising of the standard of living, especially better housing to avoid overcrowding, a good water supply, good sanitation, the establishment of suitable centres for treatment and education of the masses on ocular hygiene and early treatment. 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z