J Natl Med Assoc
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Rates for the incidence and mortality of cancer have greatly increased in American blacks as they has been assimilated into Western culture. There are many apparent causes for this change, and perhaps one factor is the mixing of genetic backgrounds to produce a single population. Heightened rates may be stemmed, however, by directing greater attention to prevention of cancer by elimination of carcinogens from the environment.
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Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis are often cited as examples of chronic airways obstruction, while sarcoidosis is typically restrictive. Approximately 15 percent of sarcoidosis patients, however, have airways obstruction clinically characterized by wheezing with granulomatous involvement of airways. Since the majority have Stage IV disease by chest radiograph, their lungs usually have honey-combining with pulmonary fibrosis, adhesions, cavities, and mediastinal distortion. ⋯ The authors conclude that the obstructive type of physiologic pattern is more frequent than recognized in sarcoidosis, which like that of cystic fibrosis has some restrictive element and is characterized by poor reversibility to bronchodilators. A trial period of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol was not helpful in two patients. Relief of this distressing airways obstruction continues to pose a challenging problem in management.
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An eight-year-old black male with severe growth and mental retardation presented with massive myxedema, hyponatremia, and hypothermia. History of hypothyroidism was confirmed by laboratory investigation. ⋯ This case is reported to illustrate the unusual association of secondary hypothyroidism with severe myxedema and hyponatremia in the pediatric age group. The physiopathology of hyponatremia in hypothyroid myxedema is discussed also.
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The author presents a survey of symptoms and diagnoses that were encountered in a black inpatient setting.
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Historical Article
Black contributions to the early history of Western medicine: lack of recognition as a cause of black under-representation in US medical schools.
During several millenia, blacks in ancient Egypt made numerous contributions to medicine and were acknowledged as the inventors of the art of medicine. They produced the earliest physicians, medical knowledge, and medical literature. They contributed to the development of medicine in ancient Greece. ⋯ Modern presentations of ancient medicine, however, deprive blacks of the knowledge of their early contributions to medicine by ignoring or subtly misrepresenting the black identity of the ancient Egyptians. Blacks are currently under-represented in US medical schools. It is proposed that the recognition of the contributions of blacks to the early history of Western medicine would inspire black students to study medicine.