The history of paediatrics : the progress of the study of diseases of children up to the end of the XVIIIth century / by George Frederic Still.

  • Still, G. Frederic (George Frederic), Sir, 1868-1941.
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of paediatrics : the progress of the study of diseases of children up to the end of the XVIIIth century / by George Frederic Still. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Soranus’ original description: ‘That mylke is goode that is whyte and sweete; and when ye droppe it on your nayle and do move your finger, neyther fleteth abrod at every stiring nor will hange faste upon your naile, when ye turne it downeward, but that whyche is betwene bothe is bested It is repeated even as late as 1752 in W. Smellie’s Treatise on the theory and practice of Midwifery. Soranus says nothing to imply that this test was his own invention, indeed his routine matter-of-fact way of introducing it rather suggests that he is repeating an already recognized method. It is noteworthy, too, that writer after writer subsequently mentions it without any mention of Soranus. V It is I think probable that, although the writings of Soranus are the earliest extant in which diseases of children and the care of children receive full and separate considera¬ tion, there had been earlier writings on this subject which have not survived. A little indication of this is to be found in his concluding chapter on diseases of children. ‘The question at what age he should be handed over to a tutor, and what sort of tutor it should be, and in what behaviour towards his parents he should be trained when he is not being reared in their care, and any question of that sort, is not within the province of the physician but is a matter to be disposed of by philosophy, so that contrary to custom we shall leave others to philosophize [over it], and end here our discourse on the rearing of children.’ His Chapter 55, irepi (jeipidueoos (‘On seiriasis’) is the first mention of this affection in children, but he himself points out that a physician, Demetrius, had described it in a book ‘On symptoms’, and that, ‘It is nothing but a burning fever or as some say an inflammation of the parts about the brain and meninges, with the result that hollowness of fontanelle and eyes supervenes with pallor and dryness of the body and failure of appetite, so all our measures must be directed against inflammation. This affection gets its name “seiriasis” some say from the star (Sirius) because of the burning heat, some from the hollowness of the fonta¬ nelle because amongst farmers the hollow thing into which they put the seed to keep it is called “seiros”.’