All Health articles – Page 7
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On This Day - Oct 16 : Ether as anaesthetic
After learning that inhaling ether causes unconsciousness, the American dentist William T. G. Morton experimented with it while extracting a tooth from a Boston merchant. Following this success, ether was used as an anaesthetic across the world.
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On This Day - Jun 14 : Alois Alzheimer was born
He is recognised for identifying the first published cases of a progressive, degenerative brain disease that was eventually named after him. Today there are over 25 million sufferers of Alzheimer’s worldwide, but no known cure.
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On This Day - Oct 12 : Iron lung respirator
An iron lung is a cylindrical container, encasing a person’s entire body apart from the head. It regulates air pressure to help a person breathe, and was first used to save the life of a young girl with polio.
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On This Day – Sep 08 : Cholera outbreak
He mapped cholera outbreaks and rightly suspected the London water was contaminated. He removed the handle of the street pump in Broadwick Street in London, and now a “John Snow” pub stands beside the site of the original pump in his honour.
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On This Day - Oct 01 : Thalidomide was marketed
This notorious drug was marketed as a mild sleeping pill that was safe even for pregnant women. It wasn’t until 1962 that the severe side effects were revealed, where it had caused the development of malformed limbs in babies.
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Nitrous oxide: are you having a laugh?
Since its discovery, laughing gas has played its part in our dental surgeries, operating theatres and - more controversially - at our parties
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The Mole
Claire Wagman: Formulation scientist at Unilever
Clare works on improving the formulation of hair care products. She tells Josh Howgego what it’s like to work on products that are seen on supermarket shelves
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Ruthenium compounds as anticancer agents
New ruthenium-based compounds with fewer and less severe side effects, could replace longstanding platinum-based anticancer drugs
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Five rings good, four rings bad
Fifty years ago steroid abuse among sportsmen and women was a serious problem. Today, thanks to the skills of analytical chemists, the sporting cheats rarely win
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The Mole
The sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin, but what is vitamin D, why is it so important, and what evidence is there to link it to such a range of illnesses?
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Phosphorus - food for thought
Can phosphorus-rich foods, such as fish, improve our intellect?
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Solving an infectious problem
Joseph Lister's use of phenol as an antiseptic revolutionised surgical practice in the 19th century. But was he the first to use this antiseptic technique?
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The Mole
A day in the life of advanced scientist: Dan Clarke
Dan has spent the past 18 months working as an advanced scientist for 3M Healthcare. He talks to Rachel Bolton-King about his typical day
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Microbial iron scavengers
Medicinal and analytical chemists take their cue from micro-organisms' ability to bind to iron in the design of new drugs and sensors
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The Mole
Anti-wrinkle potions
The market for skin care products to help combat the signs of ageing is massive, with global sales projected to reach US $69.6 billion in 2010