March 2021

Fred the Snake, bleeding, barbers and their striped poles

Thank you for reading my blogs, at least this one, at least this far. Most have had a medical theme, and this one will too if you persist beyond the first paragraphs. You may not know that I have also been writing books for children about Fred the friendly snake, beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Lemaire. …

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Time to retire the labels “Medicine” and “Surgery” after 400 years

When I was a young doctor, a long time ago, it was not difficult to distinguish medical physicians from surgeons. Physicians, at least in England, wore smart pin-striped suits and carried stethoscopes. They managed patients with sympathy and medicines. Surgeons wore pyjamas and gloves, and looked for things to connect, drain or remove. The distinctions …

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Do you have a two-bit pancreas? You well might…better read on.

About 8% of people, at least in Western countries, are born with the pancreas in two pieces, so called “pancreas divisum”. It is about as common as left-handedness, and ten times that of red hair. How come, and who cares? Some technical stuff to get started. The human pancreas is formed from two parts which …

Do you have a two-bit pancreas? You well might…better read on. Read More »

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