Gangrene historical perspective

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:  Edzel Lorraine Co, D.M.D., M.D.

## Overview

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Gangrene originated from a Greek word "sphacelus" that meant mortification of a human body part.[1][2] It was first used as a noun in the British Isles during the 16th century. Surgeons most often used it to refer to the cure of external human conditions. [2]

## Historical Perspective

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* Gangrene originated from a Greek word "sphacelus" that meant mortification of a human body part. [1][2]
* It was first used as a noun in the British Isles during the 16th century. [2]
* Surgeons most often used it to refer to the cure of external human conditions. [2]
* In the 17th century, this word was passed on from one person to another, until a metaphorical meaning was given by Shakespeare in Coriolanus:

"The service of the foote
Being once gangren'd, is not then respected
For what it was before." [2]

* Pathology became a new profession in the 19th century, and has made gangrene as a taxonomical umbrella with a myriad of species flourished.
* In 1915, gangrene was described by surgeon D'Arcy Power in his book Wounds of War:

The wound generally becomes more or less emphysematous and discharges a thin brownish, offensive fluid, which contains bubbles of gas...
The ineffective process continues after death and the swelling may rapidly become so great as to make the corpse unrecognizable.

## Some Personalities With Significant Historical Contribution to the Discovery of Gangrene

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* Table 1 lists the famous people who had contracted gangrene.

Table 1.Personalities With Significant Historical Contribution to the Discovery of Gangrene. Name | Image | Description
Jean Baptiste Lully  | Jean Baptiste Lully.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) |

* French Baroque composer who had gangrene in January 1687.

* While performing in his Te Deum, he stabbed his toe with a pointed material, which caused the spread of infection in his leg.

* He refused amputation of his leg.

French King Louis XIV  | French King Louis XIV.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) |

* He died due to gangrene on September 1, 1715.

Sebald Justinus Brugmans  | Sebald Justinus Brugmans.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) |

* A professor at Leyden University, Brugsman became the lead expert against hospital-gangrene.

* In 1814, he made a treatise on gangrene, and later on established the contagious property of this disease.

John M. Trombold  |  |

* He was a surgeon during the American Civil War.

* He studied hospital gangrene and was able to come up with a revolutionary treatment for this (debridement and the use of intravenous and topical bromide solutions on infected wounds.

Father Camille Bulcke  | Father Camille Bulcke.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) |

* He died on August 17, 1982 due to gangrene.

## References

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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Christopoulou-Aletra H, Papavramidou N (2009). "The manifestation of "gangrene" in the Hippocratic corpus". Ann Vasc Surg. 23 (4): 548–51. doi:10.1016/j.avsg.2009.02.002. PMID 19540438.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lawrence C (2005). "Gangrene". Lancet. 366 (9498): 1689. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67683-0. PMID 16291052.