November 14 – On This Day in Medical History

Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with November 14.

Events

1876 – Sir James Paget read On a form of chronic inflammation of bones (osteitis deformans) to the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society, giving the classic description of what later became Paget disease of bone. He described five patients with slowly progressive skeletal enlargement and deformity, including bowing of long bones, skull enlargement, spinal curvature, deafness, and visual complications.

1991 – World Diabetes Day was established by the International Diabetes Federation with support from WHO to raise global awareness of diabetes, prevention, complications, and access to care. Observed on the birthday of insulin co-discoverer Frederick Banting (1891–1941). World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations day in 2006 (UN Resolution 61/225).


Births

1861 – Charles Gilbert Chaddock (1861-1936), American neurologist, psychiatrist, poet and medical translator. Described the Chaddock sign (1911) and Chaddock wrist sign (1912)

1886 – Marius Nygaard Smith-Petersen (1886-1953), Norwegian born, American Orthopaedic surgeon. Smith-Petersen Vitallium mould arthroplasty (1948)

1906 – Alexander (Alister) Burns Wallace (1906–1974), Scottish plastic surgeon; described the Wallace Rules of Nine (1951)


Deaths

1844– John Abercrombie (1780-1844), Scottish physician; provided early descriptions of Crohn’s disease and perforated duodenal ulcer


Further reading

BA MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM. Emergency physician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Passion for rugby, medical history, medical education, and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Editor-in-Chief and Webmaster of Life in the Fast lane, LITFL | On Call 4e| Eponyms | Books | Horology |