Medical tracts

Ashm. 208, fos. HO—34. This fills a full quire, which could have stood on its own. The title is on the front there is nothing on the back of the final leaf. The title, some of the annotations, and the final page are written with a darker ink and were probably added at a later sitting. With the possible exception of Sloane 2550, fos. I—117 (c.1589 ), A discourse of the plague is Formans earliest known medical tract. 

Of the splen or milbe called splen or lien , an incomplete medical tract, Ashm. 244, fos. 160-5. 

It seems likely that the fact that consumption of citrus fruits could cure scurvy was known or suggested very early on. Winslow and Duran-Reynals have quoted a thirteenth century Spanish medical tract recommending orange and lemon juice as being beneficial to scurvy sufferers. Similar statements are to be found over the next four centuries, but were not widely available, nor does there appear to have been a custom of widely reading the works of medical experts elsewhere in the world, even when they were available. It took an incredibly long time for something which seems obvious today to become accepted by the medical establishment. 

Using MRI as a substitute for X ray tomography IS only the first of what are many medical applica tions More he on the horizon If for example the rate of data acquisition could be increased then it would become possible to make the leap from the equivalent of still photographs to motion pictures One could watch the inside of the body as it works— see the heart beat see the lungs expand and con tract—rather than merely examine the structure of an organ... 

Theory and Equipment. Many diseases of the human body can be identified by visual appearance. Tumors in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, for example, possess a characteristic salmon pink color (3). The presence of such a color can be an indication of disease. Endoscopy is the medical imaging tool used to detect such colors in the inside of hoUow internal organs such as the rectum, urethra, urinary bladder, stomach, colon, etc. An endoscope is the instmment used to perform endoscopy. Endoscopic imaging involves the production of a tme color picture of the inside of the human body using lenses and either hoUow pipes, a fiber optic bundle, or a smaU CCD camera. AU three use a large field-of-view, sometimes referred to as a fish eye, lens to aUow a 180° field of view. 

The sulfa dmgs are stiH important as antimicrobials, although they have been replaced in many systemic infections by the natural and semisynthetic antibiotics. They are of great value in third world countries where problems of storage and lack of medical personnel make appropriate use of antibiotics difficult. They are especially useful in urinary tract infections, particularly the combination of sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim. Their effectiveness has been enhanced by co-adniinistration with dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, and the combination of sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim is of value in treatment of a number of specific microbial infections. The introduction of this combination (cotrimoxazole) in the late 1960s (1973 in the United States) resulted in increased use of sulfonamides. 

Sucralfate [54182-58-0] an aluminum salt of sucrose octasulfate, is used as an antacid and antiulcer medication (59). Bis- and tris-platinum complexes of sucrose show promise as antitumor agents (60). Sucrose monoesters are used in some pharmaceutical preparations (21). A sucrose polyester is under evaluation as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (mri) (61). Oral adrninistration of this substance opacifies the gastrointestinal tract and eliminates the need for purging prior to mri. 

Gastrointestinal Tract. The gastrointestinal (Gl) tract is the most familiar and widely used portal for dmg dehvery, largely because of the ease with which medications can be administered. 

Chlorhexidine has found other medical appHcations, eg, in urology in preventing urinary tract infections (217), in obstetrics and gynecology (218), in controlling infection in bums and wounds (219), and in the prevention of oral disease (220). Hypersensitivity to chlorhexidine has been reported in Japan (221) but 0.05% concentration is considered to be safe. 

Health Hazards Information - Recommended Personal Protective Equipment Face shield to avoid splash Symptoms Following Exposure Very high vapor concentrations irritate eyes and upper respiratory tract. Continued contact with skin may cause irritation General Treatment for Exposure EYES immediately flush with plenty of water for at least 15 min. get medical attention. SKIN flush with water wash with soap and water Toxicity by Inhalation (ThresholdLimit Value) QO ppm Short-Term Inhalation Limits Data not available Toxicity by Ingestion Grade 2, LDjq 0.5-5 g/kg Late Toxicity None Vapor (Gas) Irritant Characteristics Vapor is moderately irritating such that personnel will not usually tolerate moderate or high vapor concentrations Uq or Solid Irritant Characteristics Liquid may irritate skin Odor Threshold Data not available. 

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