Przegla̧d lekarski
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Historical Article
[Achievements of the Cracow School of Forensic Medicine--on the 200 the anniversary of the Chair of Forensic Medicine--Part I].
The Chair of Forensic Medicine was established at the Jagiellonian University in 1804. Initially, the Cracow academic institution developed along the similar lines as other Chairs of those times. Considerable progress was made thanks to Professor W. ⋯ Their important achievements include the test for COHb determination in blood of victims of carbon monoxide poisoning (the Wachholz-Sieradzki test), the explanation of death mechanisms involved in violent death by drawning, the development of protocols for opinionating and event reconstruction in cases of violent death by poisoning and mechanical injuries, and the widely accepted theory and medicolegal assessment of medical errors. Other outstanding achievements focused on investigations of biological trace evidence, serohematology in determinations of fatherhood, and--what may be the most important--identification of responsibilities and role of an expert in legal proceedings, and many others. The work of several generations of Cracow forensic medicine specialist has culminated in training a cadre of specialists who became heads of the majority of Chairs of Forensic Medicine in Poland, writing numerous textbooks for students, monographs, hundreds of research papers and an enormous number of medico-legal opinions, the participation in almost all major court proceedings held in Poland, as well as active membership in national and international scientific societies.
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It was estimated that current cigarette smoking will cause about 450 million deaths worldwide in the next fifty years. Reducing current smoking by 50% would avoid 20 to 30 million premature deaths in the first quarter of the century and about 150 million in the second. ⋯ There is evidence that some form of treatment aids an increasing number of successful quit attempts. European experiences concerning schedules of the fight against the tobacco addiction with the use of the treatment aids were described in the paper.
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The new method of treatment of addiction to nicotine "Reduce to Stop" constitutes new possibilities of using the Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). This type of therapy consisting in a significant restriction of the number of cigarettes smoked per day with a simultaneous taking of nicotine preparations constitutes a chance of giving up a habit for smokers who want to quit smoking, but cannot do it or are not ready for it. The clinical research confirmed the effectiveness of this method not only in restricting smoking, but also in increasing the motivation to stop smoking or even total giving up of the habit.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[Comparison of the systems used for providing local anesthesia in dentistry--the Wand (Milestone Scientific) and Injex (Rosch)].
Local anesthesia is one of the basic and the most often executed interventions in dentistry. This procedure is very stressful for the patients because it is combined with pain. The new systems for delivering local anesthesia in dentistry have revolutionized the technique considerably by its simplify as well as reduction in pain. ⋯ on the basis of the results of this study it can be concluded that the less stressful and painful local anesthesia delivery system is the WAND.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[Treatment of pain in patients after tonsillectomy].
The aim of the study was to evaluate post-operative pain in patients after tonsillectomy, treated with non-steroid anti-inflammatory and opioid drugs. A group of 57 patients aged from 16 to 53 years was examined. 32 of them were treated with ketoprofen (Ketonal, Lek) in a dose 100 mg, 3 times a day and the remaining 25 with tramadol hydrochloride (Tramal) in daily doses 150-200 mg. The numerical 0 to 10 (VAS) and 6-grade verbal scales were used to assess pain intensity. ⋯ In the course of the first few postoperative days, inflammation is aggravated due to infection of the wound in the throat and the latter mechanism alone may be insufficient. Effectiveness of either ketoprofen or tramadol in treatment of post-tonsillectomy pain is good but better in the case of tramadol. Patients must be informed in advance about a possibility of more intense pain a few days after tonsillectomy, in order to avoid unjustified fear.