History of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): history, pioneers, modern use, efficacy, and controversy, one of psychiatry’s most enduring treatments.
Eponymictionary
Stigler’s Law of Eponymy
Stigler’s Law of Eponymy: no discovery is named after its true originator. Explore its history, Merton’s roots, and modern scientific misattribution.
Snellen chart
Snellen chart: history of visual acuity testing from Hooke to ETDRS, with key milestones, optotype design, and contributions from Snellen, Donders, Sloan
Quincke’s Triad
Quincke's Triad describes hemobilia via the triad of GI bleeding, biliary colic, and jaundice; first detailed by Heinrich Quincke in 1871, named retrospectively in 1975
Romberg Sign
Romberg’s sign: a classic neurological test detecting proprioceptive loss by demonstrating postural instability with eyes closed.
Howship-Romberg sign
Howship-Romberg sign: pain and paraesthesia along the distribution of the obturator nerve (medial thigh to knee); a clinical indicator of obturator nerve compression, commonly due to an obturator hernia
Fifth disease
Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease), is a common manifestation of infection in children characterized by low-grade fever, malaise, facial rash, and later by the spread of a lacy maculopapular rash involving the trunk and limbs.
Meigs syndrome
Meigs syndrome: Triad of ascites with hydrothorax in association with benign ovarian tumor, that is cured after tumor resection. Described in 1934 by Joe Vincent Meigs (1892-1963)
Chilaiditi syndrome
Chilaiditi sign: rare condition with bowel loops interposed between liver and diaphragm, with symptoms (syndrome). Must differentiate from free air.
Saint’s Triad
Saint’s Triad: coexistence of hiatal hernia, colonic diverticulosis, and gallstones—now linked to connective tissue disorders like herniosis.
Horner Syndrome
Horner syndrome is associated with an interruption to the sympathetic nerve supply of the eye. It is characterized by the classic triad of miosis, partial ptosis, and anhidrosis +/- enophthalmos
Luer syringe
Lüer syringe (1894). Unique graduated all-glass hypodermic syringe. Invented by Jeanne Amélie Lüer; Patented by Wülfing-Lüer