Pocket Dictionary Neurology Defined: Eponyms in Neurosciences Kalyan B Bhattacharyya
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POCKET DICTIONARY Neurology Defined Eponyms in Neurosciences
POCKET DICTIONARY Neurology Defined Eponyms in Neurosciences
Author Kalyan B Bhattacharyya MD DM MAMS FIAN FRCP (Edin) Professor and Head Department of Neurology RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Kolkata, West Bengal, India Foreword M Gourie Devi
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Pocket Dictionary Neurology Defined: Eponyms in Neurosciences / Kalyan B Bhattacharyya
First Edition: 2019
9789352709977
Printed at
Dedicated to my parents, my family, teachers,
students and the neuroscientists, who with their
tireless energy and endeavor, devoted their lives for
the relief of the sufferings of countless number of hapless subjects.
Foreword
In an era with tremendous advances in clinical neurology along with related technologies which have led to precision in diagnosis and reduction in mortality and morbidity, it is of great interest that academic and practicing neurologists are interested in eponyms of neurological disorders. We continue to pay tribute to accomplished great masters and thinkers of antiquity and those of the immediate past and present era who had astute observation skills, meticulous documentation combined with reasoning and logical inference. Neurology an amalgam of art, skill and knowledge will continue to be a discipline which entails thorough and careful history taking and physical examination. In everyday clinical practice, the eponyms are frequently used and significance is immediately understood. Clinical symptoms and signs, wide range of neurological disorders, anatomical structures varying from gross to molecular level, physiological functions, pathological alterations, diagnostic and treatment modalities carry the names of the discoverers from few centuries ago extending forwards to the contemporary period.
It is a Herculean task to memorize the eponyms and recall them at the opportune and appropriate time, hence a dictionary of eponyms would be a valuable asset for ready reference. Professor Kalyan B Bhattacharyya has ventured to take the arduous task of compiling enormous number of eponyms with photographs and concise and succinct record of the salient observations. The interested clinician can easily navigate through the pages of the eponyms since they are listed alphabetically. This dictionary of eponyms is comprehensive, but not unwieldy and is eminently readable.
Professor Kalyan B Bhattacharyya is an eminent neurologist, outstanding teacher and researcher with special interest in movement disorders. His passion for history of neurology has in a great measure, enriched the book. The reader will be captivated by the eponyms and even the enlightened expert also enthralled by the contents. One is aware of the familiar Babinski phenomenon or sign, but may not be aware that there are at least five more eponyms including Babinski hammer. There are numerous similar examples which will fascinate the reader.
In summary, this encyclopedia provides a compendium of eponyms in neurology is a “must have” book that should be read by trainees, neurologists and other professionals allied to neurosciences.
M Gourie Devi
MD DM DSc FAMS FIAN FNASc
Chairperson
Department of Neurophysiology and
Senior Consultant Neurologist
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
New Delhi, India
Preface
Medical literature teems with eponymous terms and one feels that perhaps in the field of neurosciences it is found in the most overwhelming manner. In a way, it is no wonder. The science pertaining to the nervous system evolved systematically by means of personal observations since the time of Hippocrates in the 4th century BC, Galen of Pergamon in the 2nd century, to Thomas Willis and Thomas Sydenham in the 17th century, and then, over the ages, by the contributions of Moritz Romberg, Jean Martin Charcot, Joseph Babinski, Jules Dejerine, Wilhelm Erb, Alois Alzheimer, Hughlings Jackson William Gowers, Gordon Holmes, Kinnier Wilson, PK Thomas, Ian McDonald, David Marsden, Anita Harding and others in the 19th and the 20th century. Investigations for neurological diseases were scarce and primitive, and the sharpest possible clinical acumen, along with the penchant for painstakingly pursuing their cherished goal by burning much midnight oil and candlesticks, were the only weapons in the armamentarium of these neuroscientists. It is therefore, quite natural that the diseases, signs, symptoms, syndromes, tests, and maneuvers they described have stood the ruthless grind of time and have been assured immortality. Indeed, it is well-nigh, impossible to expunge them from the medical vocabulary. No apposite and meaningful alternative term can yet to be conceived for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Wilson’ disease, von Economo’ disease, Romberg's sign, Tourette's syndrome, and the like.
I have attempted, within limitations, to arrange these eponymous conditions in an alphabetical order with a short description of the items and added photographs where possible. Many lesser known conditions, though of substantial import, have been left out since they are extremely rare and will only unnecessarily add to the bulk of the book. Owing to my incompetence in neurosurgical issues, I have intentionally desisted from dealing with esoteric surgical issues, like operative procedures and the like, and I hope some interested neurosurgeon shall take up the matter some day.
I am indebted to Professor Satish Khadilkar of Mumbai, and Dr Hrishikesh Kumar of Kolkata for kindly lending with some clinical photographs which I have incorporated in this volume.
Finally, I shall be amiss, if I fail to express my deepest gratitude and indebtedness to Professor M Gourie Devi, former Director and Vice Chancellor of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, and one of the most eminent neuroscientists from our country of international repute for kindly agreeing to write the foreword for this book. A scholar and researcher extraordinaire, I frequently communicated with her and most readily and unhesitatingly she enriched me with her apt and apposite comments in order to embellish the volume further. The erudite exposition in her foreword, written in chaste and elegant language, vividly reflects her perception about the subject.
Finally, I shall feel my job accomplished if the readers find the book readable and enjoyable.
Kalyan B Bhattacharyya