Sir Grafton Elliot Smith and Putdown Man
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Physician contributions to nonmedical science: Sir Grafton Elliot Smith and PUtdown man CMAJ continues the series by Dr. Swinton on who have contributed to nonunedical science. Sponsors of the articles are Associated Medical Services, Inc. and the Hannah Institute for the History of Medical and Related Sciences. Science and Art Is a department of CMAJ that presents medicine In relation to the humanities; readers' contributions, literary, serious and humorons, are welcomed. projects and publications supported that these studies were expanded into "Hu- idea. But all this seems routine for an man History" (1930) and "The Diffu- enterprising medical professor. He did, sion of Culture" (1933). however, see the need for much closer This last work was produced with cooperation between the institute and difficulties. The long series of studies the hospital, and he greatly enhanced and the organizing and lecturing began the prospects for comparative anatomy to take their toll, and in 1932 Elliot by forming a professional liaison with Smith suffered a stroke. None the less London Zoo. This last endeavour was in 1933 he became Fullerton professor something that might well be copied of physiology at the Royal Institution by some zoos in North America. in London. He resigned from this in 1934 - in which year he was knighted Two lines of interest but continued for 2 years more at University College, ultimately retiring However, it is time to concentrate on in 1936. He died on New Year's Day two of the great lines of interest that 1937. The story of his mummies could Elliot Smith pursued, Egyptology and be greatly amplified but another aspect anthropology. Though these were un- of his interest must be dealt with doubtedly derived from his medical anthropology or human paleontology. knowledge and investigative vigour, he Even at the height of his Egyptian dis- became involved in developments of coveries, he was beginning to be active great importance. His Cairo experience in Man's fossil past. had opened many doors for him, and Elliot Smith had transformed the they continued to be open even after teaching of anatomy in Manchester in the war. 1909, and the new vigour of his teach- The word "mummy" is derived from ing methods attracted students from the Persian mumiya, which means far and wide. He added the important pitch, and those mummies of distin- Smith: hoaxer or hoaxed? aspects of comparative anatomy, for guished persons that were carefully em- one thing, and when he was president balmed usually had the brain removed of the anthropology section of the Brit- from the cranium and pitch inserted. word the quotation of Sir Thomas ish Association at Aberdeen in 1912, The brain was not considered impor- Browne is taken. he belaboured the anthropologists for tant, but the thoracic and abdominal These remarkable works have been their neglect. Two things of importance contents were usually removed and somewhat overlooked in these days, happened at this time. The first was kept separately in the sarcophagus. when the autopsy of mummies is also the arrival in his department in Man- Many less notable persons and thou- adding to knowledge by work done in chester of a young Canadian, Dr. sands of ordinary people were pre- Detroit, Manchester (England), Paris Davidson Black, who came to study served by burial and dehydration or and Toronto (where Nakht has yielded neurology but was quickly infected by desiccation in the arid soil of Egypt. up his teenage cerebral hemispheres his chiefs enthusiasm for the compara- The bodies, or mummies, had long and his shrunken heart). But Elliot tive study of brains. The Canadian was been known. In 1658 Sir Thomas Smith was always equally interested in to make his own discoveries in Chou- Browne, the Norwich physician, wrote: the origin of ideas and the spread of koutien later. culture. His "Evolution of the dragon", A great part of antiquity contented their hopes of subsistency with a transmigra- published in 1924, was not only a Putdown man tion of their souls, a good way to refutation of a theory that the sight of continue their memories. Egyptian ingenu- ancient bones (such as dinosaurs) in- But far from China and much nearer ity was more unsatisfied, continuing their spired the dragon myth, but an attempt Manchester, a new and almost instantly bodies in sweet consistencies to attend the to rediscover the migration routes of controversial discovery had been made. return of their souls. But all was vanity, these myths. He assumed that the It was early in 1912 that an amateur feeding the wind and folly. The Egyptian dragon was a compound of character- geologist and archeologist, C. Dawson, mummies, which Cambyses or time hath istic animals of Northern Africa: lion, professionally a lawyer, discovered spared, avarice now consumeth. Mummy crocodile, vulture etc. Heraldically this some pieces of a skull in a supposedly is become merchandise, Mizraim cures is largely true and a study of dragon ancient gravel pit at Piltdown, Sussex, wounds and Pharaoh is sold for Balsams. lore suggests the close relation of in the south of England. Despite this and other works (such dragon and water, so that a crocodile Several persons still living were con- as Thomas Greenhill in 1705 on Nekro- is not difficult to believe. Lion and sulted by Dawson who seemed sincerely kedeia or the art of embalming), little vulture may be harder to believe, but interested in the specimens' precise was really known of these early Egyp- both would feed on stranded mammals. identification and almost nervous tians. Elliot Smith was the first person The book goes on to suggest that the of their possible significance. The to study the royal mummies and was garbled myths were spread, perhaps not pieces were unduly thick fragments and involved in the Tutankhamun study. always coherently, by pirates operating might be old. Fossil man of great anti- Elliot Smith added therefore to knowl- or sailors trading in the Mediterranean. quity might have come to England. The edge in his works "Ancient Egyptians" The early Christian news has equally responsibility was great. The site would (1911) and "Migrations of early cul- been suggested as having spread from have to be protected for geological ture" (1915). In 1922 and thereabouts, port to port through Cilician pirates. reasons as well as being a source of there was a series of important writings However true these theories may be, more, and perhaps more revealing, by Sir Armand Ruffer and Elliot Smith, there were substantiated accounts of specimens. by Elliot Smith himself, by Elliot Smith life in Egyptian times, life that sought Dawson consulted the appropriate and Wood Jones and, in 1924, "Egyp- elsewhere than Egypt for the pitches department of the British Museum's tian Mummies" by G. Elliot Smith and and waxes and the spices required for natural history section. Head of that Warren R. Dawson, from whose fore- embalming the dead. In later years department was Arthur Smith Wood- CMA JOURNAL/NOVEMBER 20, 1976/VOL. 115 1049 Diuretic/Antihypertensive ward, an unsmiling, outwardly cold and unresponsive person of much paleon- ZAROXOLYN tological fame, especially in the field of fishes, fossil reptiles and fossil mam- (metolazone, Pennwalt) mals. He was an admirable person to Indications: Zaroxolyn (metolazone) is indicated in treatment of edema accompany- consult; Dawson had known him geo- ing conge.tive heart failure; edema accompanying renal diseases and states of dimin- logically for many years. ished renal function, including the nephrotic syndrome. Metolazone is also indicated to reduce blood pressure in the management of mild to moderate essential hyperten- Smith Woodward was invited to sion, either as the sole therapeutic agent or in combination with other antihyperten- come to the site of the discovery and sive therapy. see for himself. He could, with his Contraindicatlons: anuria, hepatic coma or pre-coma, and in cases of known hyper- sensitivity to metolazone and other sulfonamide derivatives. practised eye, appraise the geologic Precautions: Patients receiving metolazone should be carefully observed and serum age of the find; with his practised electrolytes monitored for signs and symptoms of fluid or electrolyte imbalance; fingers he might discover more. Wood- namely hyponatremia, hypochloremia and hypokalemia. Blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, and glucose levels should also be assessed during therapy. Hypokatemia, an ward was not slow to see the oppor- ever present hazard with most diuretic therapy, will be more common in association tunity. Dawson had suggested that the with intensive or prolonged diuretic therapy, with concomitant steroid or ACTH therapy, and with inadequate electrolyte intake. The serum potassium should be deter- undoubtedly human fragments might mined at regular intervals and potassium supplementation instituted when indicated. be as old as the famous Heidelberg The blinical signs of electrolyte imbalance are: dryness of the mouth, thirst, weak- skull. Here then might be Britain's ness, lethargy, drowsiness, restlessness, muscle pains or cramps, muscle fatigue, an- hypotension, oliguria, tachycardia, and gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea swer to the anthropologic world. and vomiting. Woodward was ambitious, able and Metolazone may potentiate the effect of tubocurarine and decrease the arterial response to norepinephrine. On this basis it may be advisable to discontinue the in command of a great part of a great drug at least 48 hours prior to elective surgery. museum. He was internationally known Special caution should be used in treating patients with severe hepatic disease since diuretics may induce metabolic alkalosis in cases of potassium depletion for fossil studies, though not of man, which may precipitate episodes of hepatic encephalopathy. and he was a strict disciplinarian who Orthostatic hypotension may occur and may be potentiated by alcohol, barbitu- rates, narcotics or concurrent therapy with other antihypertensives.