The Naming of Syndromes
Authors: HARRY F. DOWLING
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1963)

Editorials1 November 1963The Naming of SyndromesHARRY F. DOWLING, M.D.HARRY F. DOWLING, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-59-5-767 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo paraphrase the old conundrum, when is a name not a name? The answer is, when one is describing a syndrome. For inevitably some years after the second case of Noseaneez syndrome is described, Dr. Persnickety points out that this wasn't a case of Noseaneez syndrome at all because the nose and ankles were involved and not the nose and knees. Several years later Dr. Ihaveseenit describes the Toesansneeze syndrome. Eventually scores of aspiring doctors have recognized cases of the Noseaneez and Toesansneeze syndromes. But then, Dr. Lumpum, in a most erudite article, explains that actually the Noseaneez and Toesansneeze...References1. PETERSONHAMFINLAND OLTHM: Cold agglutinins (autohemagglutinins) in primary atypical pneumonias. Science 97: 167, 1943. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. EATONMEIKLEJOHNVAN HERICKTALBOT MDGWJC: An infectious agent from cases of atypical pneumonia apparently transmissible to cotton rats. Science 96: 518, 1942. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. LIU C: Studies on primary atypical pneumonia. I. Localization, isolation, and cultivation of a virus in chick embryos. J. Exp. Med. 106: 455, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. MARMIONGOODBURN BPGM: Effect of an organic gold salt on Eaton's primary atypical pneumonia agent and other observations. Nature (London) 189: 247, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. MILLERRYTELPIERCEROSENBAUM LFMWEMJ: Nonbacterial pneumonia among naval recruits. JAMA 185: 92, 1963. CrossrefGoogle Scholar6. DEMEIOWALKER JLDL: Sendai virus antibody in acute respiratory infectious mononucleosis. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 98: 453, 1958. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. EVANS AS: Infections with hemadsorption virus in University of Wisconsin students. New Eng. J. Med. 263: 233, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. OSLERSIDELL LDAD: The Guillain-Barré syndrome. The need for exact diagnostic criteria. New Eng. J. Med. 262: 964, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. HAYMAKERKERNOHAN WJW: The Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome. Medicine 28: 59-141, 1949. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. SIGERIST HE: History of Medicine, Vol 2, Early Greek, Hindu and Persian Medicine, Oxford University Press, New York, 1961, p. 290. Google Scholar11. GUILLAIN G: Synthèse générale de la discussion. J. Belg. Neurol. Psychiat. 38: 323, 1938, quoted by CHAROUS, D. I., SAXE, B. I.: The Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome. Report of an unusual case, with a comment on Bell's palsy. New Eng. J. Med. 267: 1334, 1962. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: HARRY F. DOWLING, M.D.Affiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 November 1963Volume 59, Issue 5_Part_1Page: 767-770KeywordsAnklesKnees ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 November 1963 PDF downloadLoading ...