Case histories in pediatrics; a collection of histories of actual patients selected to illustrate the diagnosis

Front matter

Class

Book

Copyright^ ..

Preface To The First Edition

The author has found this method of case teaching so useful in the instruction not only of undergraduates but also of graduate students, who, although older and wiser than in their undergraduate days, are still students in the best and widest sense, that he felt that there was need for the utilization of this method for the presentation of the subject of" pediatrics to the practitioner.

Case teaching, which had been in use for a number of years in the Harvard Law School, was introduced into the Harvard Medical School in 1900 at the suggestion of Prof. W. B. Cannon, then a student in the school. The author believes that this method of teaching is far superior to recitations, quizzes, and conferences. One of its greatest advantages is that it compels the student to think for himself. It is almost as valuable as the clinical lecture, in which the patient is shown, and, except in special instances, is more instructive than the didactic lecture. It is surpassed only by bedside instruction to small groups of students.

Preface To The Second Edition

The number of case histories has been doubled in this edition in order to cover the subject of Pediatrics more fully. An introductory section on the Normal Development and Physical Examination of Infants and Children has been added, because it was believed that the readers would be able to study and analyze the cases better, if they were familiar with the normal development and methods of examination. Several reviewers of the first edition found fault because the diagnosis was not given at the head of each case, not realizing, apparently, that it was omitted in order that the reader might study it out for himself. The main object of the book is to present a series of problems to be solved by the reader. This object would be defeated, if the diagnosis was given in the beginning. Several reviewers have complained that there was nothing to show whether or not the diagnoses and prognoses were correct. It never occurred to the writer that any one would suppose that they were not. Consequently, nothing was said about it. As a matter of fact, the diagnoses are correct in every instance in which a positive diagnosis is made. In a few, in which a prob' able diagnosis only is made, the children are still alive. The prognoses are all absolutely correct, except in a few chronic cases in which, the children being still alive, it is impossible to give exact data as to the duration of life. The treatment recommended in the text was that actually employed.

Table Of Contents

Page The Normal Development and Physical Examination of Infants"! and Children 11-62

Diseases of the New-born.

Case 1. Prematurity 63