July27 18 by Daniel Pearson

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JULY 27, 2018

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BODY PARTS: THE OCCASIONAL SERIES

BIG What is? What is it that’s so big? It’s the body’s largest organ (or organ system). Do you know what it is? Conduct a man on the street poll on this question and you might be standing there for awhile before anyone came up with the correct answer. If you got impatient and told people the answer and then asked them to define or describe it, you might be standing there for additional hours. Let’s try it right here and now. The answer you’ve been thinking about... was it the integumentary system? Correct! You get the gold star! If that wasn’t what you had in mind, at least now you know the right answer. All you have to do now is define it. It’s not easy, is it? The integumentary system either has the worst publicity team working for it, of most of us slept through class on the days it was discussed. Most of us have no idea what it is, assuming we’ve even heard of it. Despite its comparative anonymity, it’s a complex and sophisticated system, but then, what component of

human beings (and every other living thing) isn’t?. Let’s start with the basics. The word itself come from the Latin integumentum, which means “a covering.” That was a perfect description once upon a time when the integumentary system’s single biggest component, our skin, was viewed as just that: a covering. These days we realize skin is far more than just the casing we’re enclosed in. Skin prevents dehydration. It cushions, waterproofs and protects what lies beneath. It promotes the body’s thermal equilibrium, protecting our core temperature yet also keeping us cool through its temperaturesensing perspiration system. It maintains the body’s homeostasis, its ability to function regardless of outside conditions, whether hot and humid, sub-zero, underwater, you name it. It is the body’s first line of defense against infection and disease, and repairs itself when injured. It even manufactures nutrients (vitamin D) when exposed to sunlight and at the same time protects us from sunburn by secreting melanin. Skin is so important that deprived

of it, a person would quickly die from infection and heat loss, and pardon the expression, but we haven’t even scratched the surface of everything skin does for us. Skin covers every square centimeter of the body, in some places mere hundredths of an inch thick, elsewhere (like the heels and soles of our feet) close to a quarter of an inch thick. It is our largest organ (yes, it’s on a par with the liver, brain and other name brand organs), comprising 10 to 15 percent of our total weight (as much as 22 lbs for a 150 lb person). And every single one of those square centimeters has sensitive receptors for touch, heat, cold, pressure, liquid and pain. They don’t multi-task: there are specific and specialized receptors for each sensation. Pain receptors, for instance, are different from touch receptors. At this point a logical question would be “Why not just call it skin instead of the integumentary system?”

That would be because skin is just, to mix our metaphors, the tip of the integumentary iceberg. The system is made up of everything connected to the skin, a lengthy list that includes everything used by skin to do its job. That means our toe- and fingernails, sweat glands, oil (or sebaceous) glands, and every one of the roughly 5 million hairs that cover our body. The 100,000 hairs on the average scalp may come to mind first, but there are 4.9 million more spread around virtually the entire body (except the palms of our hands and the sides of fingers and toes, the soles of our feet, lips, and certain parts of our external genitalia). All of them are connected to capillaries and nerves at their base (or follicle), providing nutrients and sensory information. When we feel a cool breeze on our skin, it’s likely fine hairs that convey that sensation. Some hair has a more clearly protective

Even eyelashes play a key role in the integumentary system.

Please see BIG page 2

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JULY 27, 2018

BIG… from page 1 role. Our eyelashes are part of the integumentary system, working along with our eyebrows to protect our eyes from airborne dust and dirt, as well as our own perspiration. Hairs in the nostrils and ear canals perform similar duties (more for certain people than others, if you know what we mean), even keeping bugs out of places where they have no business. How many glands would you say each person has? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?

Well, sweat glands alone number more than 2.5 million. Like hair, sweat glands are everywhere. There are two kinds, eccrine (EK-rin) and apocrine (AP-oh-krin). Eccrine glands are the more populous, producing sweat that’s roughly 99 percent water. Apocrine glands are the ones we worry about. They are the sweat glands located in the armpits. They don’t even start working until puberty, and then they produce their unique version of sweat, containing fatty

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acids and protein, when we’re in pain or under stress. In short order, bacteria on the skin starts to break down those proteins and fatty acids, leading to the unpleasant odor often associated with sweat. Hence, the common use of antiperspirants and deodorant. Sweat glands (mainly eccrine glands) definitely stay busy. In fact, in this part of the world this is their busy season: on a hot day someone working outside can lose nearly 2 gallons of fluid through perspiration. No wonder staying hydrated is so important. Sweat is just one part of the integumentary system’s cooling protocols. As we have all noticed, our skin gets red and flushed when we’re hot. The brain’s hypothalamus sends orders to the integumentary system to dilate blood vessels near the skin’s surface. As more blood circulates near skin being cooled by perspiration, it turns our skin into something like a radiator and helps dissipate heat. The system does the opposite in cold conditions, shutting down peripheral circulation to a degree and conserving the body’s core heat.

These functions are a clue that skin isn’t just skin deep. In seriously oversimplified terms, skin is composed of two layers, the thinner superficial layer called the epidermis, and the deeper, thicker layer called the dermis, home to nerves, blood vessels, glands and hair follicles. But even the epidermis has at least five distinct sub-layers and as many different types of cells (examples: cells that sense touch and cells that produce pigment), and the dermis is even more complex. Among the specialized cells in the epidermis are keratinocytes, the cells which produce keratin. Together, sebum, the oil secreted by sebaceous glands, and keratin make skin tough, durable, and anything but inviting to viruses, bacteria and other potential invaders. Fans of oily skin are few and far between, but without oils skin cracks and offers inviting portals for invaders. Sebum is also slightly acidic, just enough to kill many surface microorganisms, or at least hinder their proliferation. Keratin similarly acts to protect us, providing the aforementioned waterproofing in both directions: it prevents

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excessive evaporation of body fluids, and on the in-bound side keeps common chemicals (in household cleaners, city water, swimming pools, etc) from being absorbed into the body with unpleasant results. That doesn’t mean the skin is impervious to absorption. In one noted incident, a Dartmouth chemistry professor spilled a tiny drop of a toxic chemical on her hand. The chemical permeated her thin latex gloves and skin within seconds and resulted in her death (and new OSHA recommendations for scientists). Terrorists have used this skin property to kill selected targets from the merest touch of something lethal. In more benign circumstances, people who want to quit smoking wear nicotine patches to ease away from their addiction through transdermal absorption. Maybe the integumentary system isn’t the most wellknown, but its importance is undeniable. Its owner’s manual recommends drinking plenty of water and eating a nutritious diet, protecting skin from sun damage, avoiding smoking and stress, getting regular exercise, and keeping the skin clean. +

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PROFILES IN MEDICINE presented by Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co.

THE FORERUNNER Can you imagine living in an era when anyone with green eyes was automatically viewed with condescension, contempt, and even hatred? It sounds ridiculous, but it actually happened. Except the issue was skin color, not eye color. In such conditions many people “kept their place” and didn’t rock the boat. Others swam upstream against the current and managed to cover a lot of territory in exceptional fashion. Such was the case with the handsome gentleman shown here, Dr. George Nelson Stoney of Augusta. Born in Aiken in 1865, he received his earliest education there, followed by high school in Augusta and higher education in Atlanta. He went on to graduate from Howard University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and served his residency and internship at New York’s Harlem Hospital. He was a full-fledged general practitioner and surgeon who also dabbled in research. He probably could have had a successful and lucrative career in the Big Apple, but he returned to Augusta due to the influence of Lucy C. Laney, a fellow

trailblazer (although much better known) who, like him, has left a legacy on Augusta that endures to this day. Dr. Stoney opened his medical practice in a secondfloor office on 8th Street between Greene and Telfair Streets in 1889. He could walk to work from his house on D’Antignac Street, which overlooked today’s Dyess Park. He was all of 25 years old. Not content to sit still, Dr. Stoney teamed up with Lucy Laney to launch a nursing school which later became the Lamar School of Nursing, and the Lamar Wing of the “new” University Hospital that opened in 1914. Even before that, however, Stoney had distinguished himself in the SpanishAmerican War. Considering the war lasted all of 10 weeks (officially that is, although 6 months elapsed from its trigger, the explosion of the USS Maine on February 15, 1898, until the August 13 treaty that ended the war), Stoney was fortunate to have served at all. It wasn’t easy. As the story goes, a volunteer infantry division of black soldiers was training in the Turpin Hill area of East Augusta when Please see PROFILES page 15

Editor’s note: this is a monthly series presented by Queensborough National Bank & Trust and the Medical Examiner profiling exceptional physicians and others of note in Augusta’s long and rich medical history.

W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T Our experienced, financial team focuses on you, our client, to ensure that all aspects of your financial affairs are being monitored and managed appropriately in accordance with your life goals. We welcome the opportunity to serve. Call today for an appointment.

Why do I feel dizzy when I stand up? There could be several reasons, and not all of them suggest getting to a doctor as soon as the dizziness subsides. The #1 reason is actually something we all experience. It’s called gravity. There is no way to escape its effects unless you’re talking International Space Station. For the earthbound, it’s a simple matter of physics: go from lying down to standing and it’s inevitable that there will be some blood gain in our lower extremities and some temporary blood loss upstairs. The more quickly a person goes from horizontal to vertical, the more likely the problem becomes. A simple solution might be to sit up, then wait a few seconds before standing. Of course, it might seem like that’s just masking a problem, like a person who has chest pains when they exert themselves, so they avoid exerting themselves. It could be exactly that. Every situation is different. As it points out in every issue of this paper in the box at the bottom of this page, “For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor.” That’s a good recommendation, especially if this is a recurring, persistent problem. But in most cases, this common occurrence is harmless and not an indicator of serious issues. Having said that, even if dizziness was from the most innocuous cause, if a person fainted or fell and struck their head, it wouldn’t really matter how insignificant the cause was: the result was serious. Sometimes the cause is a side effect from medication. If so, that’s a good topic to discuss with your doctor or pharmacist. If you haven’t eaten in a while, that can drastically lower blood sugar and cause dizziness. Similarly, another possibility is dehydration. A dehydrated person’s blood can actually thicken enough to drag down blood pressure, triggering dizziness upon standing. In fact, another name for this phenomenon is postural hypotension. If someone has low blood pressure (hypotension) already, it’s prudent to remember that fact when standing. This time of year, working outside in hot weather can result in overheating and/or dehydration. Cooling down and drinking water can solve the problem. One other possible cause: an inner ear infection. Get that checked out. +

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#71 IN A SERIES

Who is this? ON THE ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE Editor’s note: Augusta writer Marcia Ribble, Ph.D., is a retired English and creative writing professor who offers her unique perspective as a patient. Contact her at marciaribble@hotmail.com

by Marcia Ribble

lthough the face is no clue to the identity of this famous physician for 99 percent of us, the name is another matter entirely. This man’s middle and last names are known far and wide, especially among women. But not just among any women. Mothers in particular. He was born in Rye, Sussex, England, in 1823, and after completing his basic education was apprenticed to a doctor in nearby Lymington. His interest in medicine was sparked and at age 18 he entered the medical school at Guy’s Hospital in London (founded in 1721 by philanthropist Thomas Guy) and there won many prizes and honors for his work. He graduated from the University of London with an MB (Bachelor of Medicine) in 1847, and then earned his MD degree in 1851. As an initial clue to his identity, he was recruited by Guy’s Hospital in 1858 to return there as an assistant obstetric physician, and ten years later he was promoted to full obstetric physician at Guy’s. Described as an amiable man with a cheerful expression, he was also known as a careful and sympathetic physician who showed great consideration for the welfare of his patients. He had a natural aptitude for research (with more than 130 medical publications to his name) and paid meticulous attention to detail. He described one detail he noted over years of observation: “It was a source of difficulty to the older obstetricians to explain how, at a certain time, namely at the full period of pregnancy, the uterus, passive up till then, began all at once to acquire a new power, that of contracting.” He observed that the uterus does not begin this action only as delivery approaches, but in fact regularly contracts during the entire course of pregnancy, especially “from about the third month.” Intermittent contractions can become stronger in the second and third trimesters as the body prepares for birth. These contractions are often mistaken for actual labor, but are actually “false labor,” sometimes called by the name of the doctor seen above — John Braxton Hicks — who first described them. What’s the difference between labor and Braxton Hicks? Labor pains are regular and will grow stronger, more frequent and last longer; Braxton Hicks are erratic and will go away. That doesn’t mean they can’t be very uncomfortable. Dehydration can be a factor in their onset, so drinking water can help alleviate Braxton Hicks contractions. On a related note, a full bladder can also trigger Braxton Hicks contractions, so urination may help. Lying down on the left side can help ease the pain, as can rhythmic breathing. Braxton Hicks had a fascination with many aspects of natural science, and his published scientific papers cover topics as diverse as algae, earthworms, and moss. He and his wife had one child, a son, Athelstan Braxton Hicks, born in 1854, a noted coroner in London who championed the rights of children and infants at a time when “baby farming” and infanticide for insurance money was a common practice. He was instrumental in the murder convictions of many parents and baby farmers. Braxton Hicks senior died at age 74 in 1897 in Lymington. +

The field of medicine is always coming up with new ideas, treatmjents, and tools, but that doesn’t mean your caregiver is aware of them. I recently had a conversation with a home health nurse about a device called a Pure Wick machine. She was vaguely aware of what they are but had never seen or used one with any of her patients. The Pure Wick is an alternative to using catheters. Pure Wick is long tube covered with soft material that acts, in plain English, like a urine vacuum cleaners. Catheters are infamous for causing UTIs (urinary tract infections) in patients who are not ambulatory. This issue often adds to the challenges faced by caregivers of patients whose progress can be hampered by UTIs, or who are bedridden with long term or terminal illnesses which can be negatively impacted by UTIs. One of those challenges solved by Pure Wick is bedsores. Lying in urine-soaked diapers and bedding can rapidly result in the patient’s skin breaking down, even when the patient’s position is changed frequently. The Pure Wick vacuums up the urine as it is released and sends it up and away from the skin into a small holding tank next to the bedside. This allows the patient’s skin to remain much drier and healthy, preventing bedsores. A diaper is often used to make sure any leaks are caught and contained just

in case the patient’s change in position has displaced the Pure Wick. Another benefit is to the patient’s caregivers. Frequently changing a patient’s diapers and bedding often causes back problems from lifting and moving even quite small patients who are unable to assist in the process. The dead weight of an incapacitated patient challenges even very strong caregivers, but many caregivers are older and relatively weak themselves. This can create a situation where amilies are forced to place their loved ones in a nursing home or assisted living facility because they no longer can physically care for their loved ones. This can lead to financial ruin for the family trying to pay for huge nursing home or assisted living expenses. If the Pure Wick can ease the physical challenges of caring for a patient at home it would be a blessing for many families. With a rapidly growing number of seniors, a number expected to rise exponentially over the coming decades, plus a current political climate which seems determined to reduce support for both younger and elderly patients, a device like the Pure Wick could definitely help. It is not a miracle cure, but it can be one of a growing number of resources that allow our families to survive major medical issues. Look it up online and see if it might help you or your family member. +

The foot bath hoax WHICH WILL IT BE? As long as we’re discussing fact versus fiction, there is no evidence that P.T. Barnum ever uttered a quote widely attributed to him: “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Regardless of who said it, there is perhaps no better evidence of its continuing truth than ionic foot baths. For the uninitiated, the scam works like this: the unsuspecting mark hands over sums of cash to either

purchase a home detoxifier or to pay for the service at a spa or salon. A small tub containing electrodes is filled with water, the person puts their feet in and the device is turned on. Within minutes the water begins to turn color as the machine extracts toxins from the body through the feet. At least that’s the story people are told. Dark green means your gall bladder and digestive system are being detoxified. Black? That’s your liver and respiratory system being cleansed. Coffeecolored water means they just saved your liver and rid your body of free radicals. There’s a story for every color, from yellow/green

to orange and red to black flecks (heavy metals). According to many websites that sell foot detox servies or machines, the mysterious process works quite effectively. Neutral sites with no skin in the game, so to speak, tell a different story, pointing out that there is virtually no scientific evidence supporting the detoxification claims. Consumer investigations have shown that operating the foot baths without feet changes the water color too. Analysis of the water shows that color changes are caused by small amounts of oxidation leaching from the device’s electrodes. Save your money. +

JULY 27, 2018

Musings of a Distractible Mind

by Augusta physician Rob Lamberts, MD, recovering physician, internet blogger extraordinaire, and TEDx Augusta 2018 speaker. Reach him via Twitter: @doc_rob or via his website: moredistractible.org

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my accountant is a patient of mine. He also, despite my urging, has been slacking on coming to see me. “I haven’t been taking care of myself,” he told me by email. “It feels like I’m going to the principal’s office.” I know how that feels. I did go to the principal’s office plenty as a kid. So I told him (my accountant, not the principal) that this was exactly how I felt each year during tax season. So we made a pact: I wouldn’t make him feel like an idiot, and he’d not make me feel like one. That’s easy for both of us, as we are used to seeing other people’s financial/ physical nakedness. His feelings about going to the doctor are very common. People often feel insecure and ashamed. Just the other day a woman with COPD bowed her head in shame when she confessed she was still smoking. “How stupid is that?” she said, “I have COPD and recently had pneumonia, yet I still can’t stop using these things! My kids are always on my case; I just don’t know why I can’t quit.” This is true with diabetes, obesity, alcohol consumption, and anything else that seems like it should be easily handled (or at least improved) by lifestyle change. People don’t know why they compulsively do bad things or compulsively avoid doing the right thing. This is why I often tell patients is that one of the best things about being a doctor is that I see that everyone else is as screwed up as I am. This is my biggest challenge: getting people to change their behavior. I have to somehow get people to pay attention to their health

when they’d rather ignore it, to be taking medications when they’d rather not, to be exercising when they don’t want to, to lose weight when they love cheeseburgers, and to be checking their blood sugars when they’d rather not know how high they are. After trying lots of things over the past 20+ years, the one thing I find almost never works is what is usually done: lecturing the patient. One of my patients recently went to the ER and got a lecture about her weight. Great. I am sure this will change her life.

Yeah, people make bad choices. Just like their doctors and nurses do. She probably loved being lectured by a total stranger when she was in the ER for something unrelated to her weight. She probably never even realized she was overweight until that moment. Everyone is getting lectured on their weight, smoking, exercise, checking their sugars, taking their medications, and “reducing stress” in their lives. How can you reduce stress when you are surrounded by a bunch of medical busybodies? The result I see is a bunch of folks who are like my accountant: afraid to get care because they are waiting for a lecture. Many lie to cover up their shame, while others just don’t come. So how can we create a system that promotes honesty and encourages engagement? We can’t just ignore these problems. I’ve had people who interpreted my lack of mentioning their smoking or morbid obesity as me saying it’s OK. People need us to be engaged in

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their struggles in ways that are truly helpful, or at least being a sympathetic ally in their battles. I want people to come to me for help, not to avoid me or hide the truth because they fear me. This, of course, brings me back to the idea of patient-centered care. How do we address issues like weight, smoking, and noncompliance in a way that is patient-centered? It’s harder to answer than you might imagine. Human beings are complicated. I’d be on Dr. Oz right now if I knew an easy way to help people lose weight, quit smoking, or fight their other personal demons. There is no easy way. But it helps a lot to have someone who is fighting with you, not making you feel foolish. I’ve recently lost 20 lbs by the magic formula of eating less and exercising. It’s simple, but it sure as hell hasn’t been easy. So the best approach I’ve found is to sympathize and encourage. I want people to tell me about their struggles and failures, not hide them. I’m realizing as I get toward wrapping this up that I’m not coming to some grand conclusion. This is not magic. It’s not a secret trick that can make things easy. Life is a struggle we all face, and it is best faced with good allies. I want people to come to me when they need help, not run from me fearing judgment and lectures. Somehow, despite the checklist culture of our current medical system, we need to keep care away from shame. Yeah, people make bad choices, but that doesn’t mean they are bad (or stupid) people. In truth, they’re just like their doctors and nurses. And, it turns out, their accountants. +

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Hello! I’m Gina, founder of the Life Giving Kitchen community, a food and wellness blog centered around a mostly plant-based diet. I share great recipes for people on a healing journey — and everyone who likes healthful and delicious food. I find my inspiration for creating new recipes through my own ideas of what I’m hungry for, or sometimes through something I have read, as was the case for this Cuban Quinoa Bowl with Sazon Cashew Dressing. I was opening my mail and found one of those dreamy travel brochures that can excite the traveler in me. However, this time I noticed something new. Cuba has now become a destination. This got me thinking. I really don’t cook with Cuban ingredients and seasonings very often. I love the authentic Cuban foods I have had, so I really don’t know why I have not tried to recreate the flavors in my own kitchen. On my quest to bring a little Cuba to our table, I did a search for a Cuban seasoning because I like to create my own blends instead of store-bought mixes. I came up with sazon seasoning, which is pronounced just like we say the word season in seasoning. I mixed up what seemed to be a basic • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan olive oil, cinnamon, sazon recipe of homemade sazon pink salt seasoning, and salt. Place on a seasoning, except I did tweak • 1-1/2 teaspoons sazon parchment lined cookie sheet. mine a little by adding some seasoning salt (recipe on blog) Roast in 400° oven until just turmeric. As a colon cancer For the Black Beans: slightly crispy. survivor, I’ve learned its good • 1 cup canned black beans, 3. Boil Success boil-in-bag to incorporate turmeric in rinsed and drained quinoa for 10 minutes then our diets because it works • 1 tablespoon chopped drain or cook your quinoa against colorectal cancer by cilantro according to boxed directions. enhancing the body’s innate • Himalayan pink salt to taste 4. Toss black beans with immune abilities (according For the Smashed Avocado: salt and cilantro to Livestrong.com). • 1⁄2 a large ripe avocado 5. For the dressing, This Cuban Quinoa bowl • 2 teaspoons chopped drain cashews and place is easy to make and is filled cilantro in a Vitamix or small food with healthy ingredients • 1 teaspoon lime juice processor, add the garlic like cinnamon-roasted sweet • Himalayan pink salt to taste clove, lime juice, olive oil, and potatoes, black beans, mixed For the Salad: maple syrup. Process until greens and cumin-infused • 3 cups mixed greens smooth quinoa. My favorite part is 6. In a small bowl, mash topping it off with the healthy • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved avocado with a fork then stir sazon cashew dressing. The For the Sazon Cashew in lime juice, cilantro, and layers of delicious flavors are Dressing: salt. sure to please your whole • 1/2 cup raw cashews 7. Assemble the bowls by family. • 1⁄2 cup hot water to preplacing mixed greens in the soak the cashews in bottom of two bowls. Divide CUBAN QUINOA BOWL • 1 clove garlic the quinoa and black beans, WITH SAZON CASHEW • 4 tablespoons olive oil tomatoes and roasted sweet DRESSING • 3 tablespoons lime juice potatoes between the bowls. • 1 tablespoon maple syrup Add mashed avocado on top INGREDIENTS • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan 8. Drizzle with sazon For the Quinoa: pink salt cashew dressing over the • 2 cups cooked quinoa (I use • 1 teaspoon homemade sazon whole bowl and sprinkle with Success boil-in-bag) + seasoning chopped cilantro. • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 3 green onions chopped small For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes: • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the cashews in a glass and cover them with hot water, allow to soak for 20 minutes 2. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes in a bowl with

by Gina Dickson, Augusta wife, mom and grandmother, colon cancer survivor, passionate about creating a community to help women serve healthy meals to their family. Visit my blog at thelifegivingkitchen.com

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JULY 27, 2018

ALCOHOLISM: SICKNESS OR SIN? by Ken Wilson Executive Director, Steppingstones to Recovery

We’re here for life.

Sixty years after the fact, I can still hear the whine of the preacher in the small town church here in the deep south warning and waving his finger “no-no” and throwing “drunkards” (1 Corinthians 6:10) under the bus right along with the list of evil people who would not go to heaven – including the idolaters, adulterers, thieves, slanders, swindlers, and “homosexuals” (NIV). He made quite an impression on me. I was so confl icted about his message. You see, the mailman and I were good friends, and every day during the hot summer months he would sit on the wall by my house and drink a cold Miller High Life beer and chat with me on his lunch break. He was such a nice man, and in my juvenile mind I hoped he never got drunk and ended up like those other immoral souls. Having taken a little sip of his brand, now I think he deserves a trophy for actually swallowing the stuff! Back in the 50’s when I was growing up, medical knowledge wasn’t nearly what it is today. If a neighbor didn’t think drinking was sinful, he might think it could cause mental illness. In fact, our neighborhood knew of several poor unfortunates who just couldn’t control their beer and ended up in dreaded Milledgeville, a condition as much as a Georgia city. And when they did end up there and we boys heard about it, we’d point to our heads and swing our finger in a circle indicating someone had gone to “the crazy place!” In fact, the daily census in Central State Hospital back then was around 3,000 patients per day! Whew! Before the hospital

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN A monthly series by an Augusta drug treatment professional closed a few years ago the average daily census was barely 100 patients. Why? Are people not as off-the-rocker nowadays? Not. Psychotropic medications have been developed and in many cases are keeping people out of inpatient treatment for alcoholism and mental illness. Back in the day, if one didn’t see alcoholism as Mortal Sin or Mental Illness, he might just be confused about it all. I grew up not missing an episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Remember it? In fact last spring I went to Mt. Airy, NC for vacation and had my photo taken inside a certain jail cell (a carbon-copy-model of the one in California where the fi lming was done) where a famous TV personality used to go to “sleep it off” when he got drunk. If Andy or Barney wasn’t around, he’d go inside the cell, lock himself in, and hang the key on a nail just outside the cell! Most of us still remember his name! Yep, ol’ Otis Campbell, who in real life never took a sip of alcohol! Mayberry didn’t know what to do with their town drunk, so they just tolerated and accepted him. Some things change very slowly. Today we still reflect some of these concepts of

alcoholism and addiction despite medical evidence of its disease nature that occasionally seeps into public news. As far back as the mid to late 1950’s some smart people (like the recovering preacher Vernon Johnson and psychiatrist Dr. E. M. Jellinek) were working hard to bring alcoholism into acceptance as a primary, not just secondary, medical and biochemical disease, and they succeeded in doing so, which made the condition a covered medical expense under most insurance plans. You see, in layman’s terms a disease is identified as a condition that is chronic, is characterized by specific signs and symptoms, is progressive and has clearly identifiable stages, and is potentially fatal unless treated. We owe it to these men and many others who paved the way for those suffering with substance abuse to get medical help for their condition, even though many of us working in this field are now seeing a setback by insurance policies which exclude getting help for this prevalent condition. + (Part 2: next month! Fascinating facts on addiction!)

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If you want a little flavor in your water this refreshing recipe is for you.

DRINKING AWAY THE SUMMER HEAT

by Kim Beavers, MS, RDN, LD, CDE Culinary Nutritionist at University Health Care Co-host Eating Well with Kim

Whew... it is HOT! This makes sense of course, because it is summer in the south; that not only means heat, but water as well. Swimming, boating, sprinklers and water balloon fights are great examples of summer water! Water, while great for outdoor summer activity, is essential for the inside of our body every day. How much water is recommended? It is really hard to put exact numbers on how much water we should drink. There are many variables to consider such as weather, age, clothing, equipment, activity level, and other foods consumed. Fruits and vegetables contain higher water content than other foods (in other words, eat more fruits and vegetables). However the old standby recommendation of eight 8ounce glasses of water a day is not a bad place to start in terms of water consumption. Here are a few basics on preventing dehydration (especially in this heat): Dress for the weather. In the summer this means lightweight, light colored clothing.

Begin the day well hydrated. The best piece of advice I have heard on this is to drink a glass of water every morning (don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you get rid of your morning coffee, but I do think adding a cup of water to your morning routine is a great idea, especially on hot summer days. Also it is important to note that the diuretic effect of coffee and tea is fairly weak, so these beverages actually do count toward your water/fluid intake). It is still ideal to drink plenty of water and not rely on caffeinated beverages for all of your fluid needs. Drink before you are thirsty throughout the day. If you are relaxing and want a cold one (or two) while out in the heat, be sure to alternate by drinking a bottle of water between each alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated. Spice can also be nice. That prickly feeling you get after eating spicy foods has a function: the sweat cools you down. Why do you think spicy foods are so popular south of the border? Finally, regularly evaluating your hydration

plays a role in maintaining adequate fluid intake. Use the color of your urine as a guide in evaluating your hydration level – the clearer and lighter the better. Cheers to that! In addition to preventing dehydration, adequate fluid intake is a basic self-care habit that often gets overlooked. Mild dehydration may lead to fatigue, headaches, dry skin, and decreased brain function in ways like slower reaction times or less-thansharp memory. All of these symptoms are easily avoided by practicing the healthy habit of hydration. Water may seem a bit boring and uneventful from time to time, which is where “spa water” comes in quite handy. Spa water is infused water, flavored with fruits and vegetables. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes to try! +

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The blog spot From the Bookshelf — posted by Roy A. Meals M.D. on July 21, 2018

WHO NAMED OUR BONES? AND WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? All of our 200+ bones have names, which facilitates describing them when we cannot actually hold them or point directly at them. It might be easier to remember the names if they were familiar ones like Robert, Sally, and Kevin, but no such luck. Latin was the original language of science, so the bones received Latin names. Some of those were in turn derived from Greek. All were purely descriptive and widely understood, provided that you spoke Latin. For example, the shoulder blade is mostly flat and triangular. An anatomist picked one up, pondered a bit, and decided it resembled the blade on a shovel or spade. He named it scapula, Latin for shovel. The eight wrist bones are another good example of simplicity. At first they were just numbered, but then they received Latin names, including scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, and pisiform. Those Latin names are hard for us to remember, but they merely describe the bones’ shapes: boat, crescent moon, three-corners, and pea-shaped, respectively. Not only do the bones have names that are vaguely descriptive, so do all of their bumps, ridges, and crannies. For instance, the tip of your shoulder is your acromion. This word is derived from the Greek acro meaning highest or topmost (as in acropolis — high city) and from omion, meaning shoulder. That makes sense, as does olecranon to describe the tip of your elbow. It comes from Greek, olene for elbow, plus kranion for head. But what about the bumps on both sides of your ankle? They are malleoli. Malleus means hammer. What were they thinking? Then consider that the hip joint’s deep socket in the pelvis is officially known as the acetabulum — pretty strange to a non-Latin speaker, but it is simply named for its resemblance to a vinegar cup: acetum for vinegar plus -abulum for container. I do not know, however, what the early anatomists did with cups of vinegar. Maybe it was just wine that had gone bad, and they drank it anyway just before naming the malleoli. Doctors today buy into the Greek and Latin naming tradition both necessarily and willingly. By using uniform terminology, professionals can understand oral presentations and written journal articles from around the world. Then too, consciously or unconsciously, tossing ancient expressions around separates the wizards from the uneducated masses. This makes knowledge privileged, and hence, valuable. Without holding the secret keys to the kingdom, doctors could suddenly lose respect. Consider for instance, the aweinspiring term foramen magnum, the one-inch diameter hole at the base of the skull from whence the spinal cord emerges. Foramen magnum sounds grand and important, perhaps even magical, doesn’t it? It translates into English, however, as “big hole.” +

Don’t wait. Go now.

Roy A. Meals is an orthopedic surgeon who blogs at About Bone.

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We might not like to face it in the harsh, cold light of day, but about half of us will be diagnosed with cancer. About 20 percent of the populations dies from one version of this dreaded disease or another. It’s getting better, though, and a sliver of the credit goes to the author of this book, David Scadden, MD, the cofounder of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, a promising new tactic in the war on cancer. Scadden doesn’t shy away from portraying opposition to this disease as all-out war, a fact that you and I see in nearly every day’s obituaries: someone dies after “a courageous fight against cancer,” another “loses her battle,” still another was “a brave warrior.” Like all of us, Scadden has been touched personally by casualties of this war. He writes of the boy in his second-grade class who was absent one day — and never came back. He simply vanished. It was only later that Scadden learned he died from leukemia. Another boy

from school lost his mother to cancer; the lady next door died from lung cancer. Such experiences shaped his career path, although Scadden writes of the mentorship of his family physician, Salvatore Baldino, whom Scadden visited regularly for allergy shots. Nothing steered his life’s work in the direction of cancer research more than his own mother’s diagnosis while he was still in medical school. Having grown up in an era when science was incredibly

exciting (think moon landings) and seemed up for even the most impossible challenge, Scadden has seen waves of optimism in the war come and go. He remembers Richard Nixon’s declaration of war on Cancer, when “the White House referenced ‘cancer control’ as if it were something to be managed, like crabgrass or mosquitoes.” He remembers the disappointment over the much-hyped effectiveness of Laetrile and dozens of other dead-ends the research community has traveled down. As Scadden notes, “today’s promise is often tomorrow’s disappointment.” Even so, this memoir chronicles the “astounding advances in our understanding.” There is still hope that someday, maybe in the not too distant future, we will no longer live in Cancerland. +

Cancerland: A Medical Memoir, by David Scadden, MD, with Michael D’Antonio, 320 pages, published in July 2018 by Thomas Dunne Books

Research News Know this joke? Knock, knock. Who’s there? Interrupting Cow. Interru... MOOOOOO! In which the teller of the joke seems to be your average physician. At least that’s the conclusion of a recently completed study conducted by University of Florida researchers. Examining videos of doctor-patient interactions recorded for training purposes in clinics across the U.S. between 2008 and 2015, researchers found that, after asking patients the reason for their visit, two-thirds of physicians interrupted patients on average a mere 11 seconds later. Only one-third of physicians (36 percent) asked an opening question that allowed patients to set the agenda. Good start. But 67 percent of those same doctors then quickly interrupted.

Researchers did not condemn the interruptions per se, acknowledging that insightful questions can clarify or focus the conversation, but did question interruptions so early in the process. There were differences among physicians. Primary care physicians (at 50 percent) were more likely to invite the patient to describe the reason for their visit versus only 20 percent of specialists. Researchers offered some conclusions from their data: hearing patients out regarding their symptoms and concerns is actually a time-saver that offers invaluable information. Pointing out that patients often spend a long time — sometimes hours — in waiting rooms before being seen makes their 11-second window of opportunity seem especially short and calls into question the whole notion of “patient-centered” care. There is work to be done.

Obesity alone is not a killer A study conducted by York University has found that “healthy obesity” that is, obesity without any other risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol or glucose is not a factor in premature death. The study of more than 50,000 people found such favorable conditions in only 1 in 20 obese individuals We’re dumber in August Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found that students in dorms without air conditioning performed worse on cognitive tests during a heat wave compared to students taking the same tests in air conditioned dorms. Lower scores included reaction time and working memory. The researchers say the findings are significant in an era of rising temperatures worldwide. Extreme heat is already the leading cause of death from meteorological causes. +

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THE EXAMiNERS +

Have you seen all the construction by University’s ER?

by Dan Pearson

Yeah, and I’m puzzled.

Why?

So what should Well, at my business we have signs that They have signs there that they say, say “Pardon our lack say “Pardon our progress.” Einstein? of progress.” Who does that???

JULY 27, 2018

THE MYSTERY WORD The Mystery Word for this issue: TINSDYTER

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue! EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Trick 5. Cleaning substance 9. Cons’ opposite 13. World’s most-wanted man, 2001-2011 15. Wicked 16. Flexible tube 17. Religious splinter groups 18. Pleasant to the taste 20. Sin 21. Ill-fated ____ Flight 800 23. Daly of The Voice 24. It can come before showers 26. Tree type 27. Sturdy cart or wagon; dray 29. Indoor tanning light 33. Unfolds 34. Salmon that has spawned 35. High mountain 37. Put on, as clothing 38. SC util. 39. Speedwagon start 40. Carney of classic TV 41. Medic prefix 42. Score for newborns 44. Throat lymphoid tissue 47. Help 48. Even (poetic) 49. Congressional network 50. Consented 53. Eisenhower, in brief 54. Consumed 57. Small perennial shrub 60. A punctuation mark 62. Cause of great distress 63. A Great Lake 64. Attempted 65. Parched 66. Stage decorations 67. Instrument in a jazz trio

5 14

21 24

—

39 42

48 51

Click on “READER CONTESTS”

QUOTATIONPUZZLE

26 29

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM

54 60

T P E A

R W S R D E E U K H S V H A A M Y L U S E H I O M U K M O R W A A O E N I U

— Russell Baker

64 67

DOWN 1. Flower at the White House 2. Friendly intro 3. Western capital 4. Ambulance worker 5. Part of a flower petal 6. Eggs 7. To be ill 8. Afterbirth 9. Drug prefix 10. Steals from 11. Capital of Norway 12. Observed 14. 2017 World Series champs 19. Lofty 22. Finish first 25. Slender metal fastener 27. Conclusion 28. Toward the port side 29. Augusta Mall anchor store 30. Forearm bone 31. Marginal notes (Latin) 32. Entreaties 34. Kilocalorie (in short)

T F E F T

36. ____ Royal (in downtown Augusta) 38. Bobbins 42. Feature; facet 43. Prostate abbrev. 45. Required 46. Ooze 47. Inquire 49. Quotes 50. Jessica of Hollywood 51. Equipment 52. Wife of a rajah 55. Lower digits 56. Finishes 58. Word between “who” and “you” 59. Louse egg 61. Globe

Solution p. 14

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

E X A M I N E R

1 2 3 8

6 8

3 4 7

3 2 8 5

9 9 7 4

4 8

9 2

S U 6 D O 3 K 7 U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use keypad letters to convert numbers into words suggested by the definitions provided. Sample: 742 (body part) = RIB. Solution on page 14. 1. 362 (med. professional) ___

6. 74687 (body part) _____

2. 884 (diagnostic acronym) ___

7. 97478 (body part) _____

3. 428 (hosp. area) ___

8. 26553 (body part) _____

4. 288 (minor injury) ___

9. 7866224 (body part) _______

5. 7227 (body landmark) ____

10. 7837686 (body part) _______

TEXT

JULY 27, 2018

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THEBESTMEDICINE

The

Advice Doctor

someone. The trial begins when the judge asks him how he pleads. “Innocent!” he says. The prosecutor asks him to prove it. “You are what you eat, right? So I am an innocent man.”

ha... ha...

A man working in a food plant is told by his boss to stack cases of tuna-marshmallow casserole on a skid in preparation for shipment. “I don’t think I’ll be able to stack those on the skid,” says the man. “Why not?” asks his boss. “Tuna-marshmallow casserole? Man, that’s unpalletable.”

woman was pumping gas and smoking a cigarette at the same time. Two police officers walked out of a nearby store with coffee just as her arm caught on fire from the fumes and her cigarette. The woman did the worst thing possible. She waved her arm around frantically, fanning the flames and making it even worse. The officers threw their coffee on her to douse the flames, then handcuffed her and threw her in the back of their patrol car. “What are you arresting that poor woman for?” asked a bystander. “Waving a fi re arm around,” replied one of the officers.

Moe: Whenever I see a Hispanic person in a Taco Bell, I call 9-1-1. Joe: You’re going to be one of those people? Why? Moe: Because they’ve obviously been kidnapped and this is their silent cry for help. Moe: What would you say is your worst fault? Joe: Probably that I always lie and mislead people. Moe: You do? Really? Joe: No.

Moe: Spoiler alert! Joe: What are you talking about? Moe: My new refrigerator. It beeps when it detects mold.

Moe: What is an ophthalmologist’s favorite place in a hospital? Joe: ICU.

Moe: What do you call one cow spying on another cow? Joe: I give. What? Moe: A steak out.

Moe: What was Forest Gump’s password? Joe: I would guess it’s 1forest1. +

A cannibal is on trial for killing and eating

Why subscribe to theMEDICALEXAMINER? What do you mean? Staring at my phone all day has had no affect on ME!

Because try as they might, no one can stare at their phone all day.

Dear Advice Doctor, I endeavor to be a team player on my job, but sometimes I think I’m hurting myself in the process. Some of my co-workers have received promotions and raises for projects where I did the majority of the work. But at least I can hold my head up high. If I become the kind of person who always looks out for Number One, do you think my work and life will be less satisfying? — At a Crossroads

Dear Crossroads, This is actually a pretty major topic in my line of work. Of course, as medical professionals we don’t say “number one.” But we do “look out for number one,” using urinalysis as a common, simple, painless and useful diagnostic tool. Even a quick glance at a urine specimen can be quite revealing. Is it clear or cloudy? Is it a very pale yellow, or a dark color? Clear pale yellow urine indicates a good level of hydration, while dark yellow urine — concentrated, if you will — indicates dehydration. Cloudy urine can likewise signify dehydration, although it may also be a sign of infection. Beyond a quick visual check, analysis of urine under a microscope can reveal issues in their early stages that need attention, among them infections, liver problems, diabetes, and kidney disease. Urine that measures higher than normal acidity or pH could be a sign of kidney stones or a urinary tract infection (UTI). Likewise, the presence of protein — something the body needs and should be retaining, not expelling — suggests the kidneys (responsible for filtering waste products from the bloodstream) aren’t functioning properly, and detecting more mineral content than normal could indicate kidney stones. White blood cells found in urine can reveal the presence of an infection, and high glucose (sugar) content is a sign of diabetes. Urinalysis isn’t all about diagnosing disease, however. The presence in urine of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) means a baby is on the way! It’s important to note that urinalysis alone rarely makes for a definitive diagnosis. Additional tests or examination is often needed to confirm what urinalysis indicates. Mythbuster alert: despite what you may have heard, urine is not sterile, including when it is in the bladder. + Do you have a question for The Advice Doctor about life, love, personal relationships, career, raising children, or any other important topic? Send it to News@AugustaRx.com. Replies will only be provided in the Examiner.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICALEXAMINER +

Why read the Medical Examiner: Reason #63

By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers. If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house! NAME ADDRESS CITY

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Choose ____ six months for $20; or ____ one year for $36. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

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THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: SURGERY

...cleverly hidden on the jet in p. 7 ad for OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF AUGUSTA THE WINNER: LUCILLE DAVIDSON Want to find your name here next time? If it is, we’ll send you some cool swag from our goodie bag. The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

THE PUZZLE SOLVED R O S E

U S E R

C O D A

A P O R T

S A C R A M E N T O

A L B A

G E A R

R A N I

E S O A M A E V I T S P A L T W A P R I L I O N S U N S K E L S C A N P A R A N S I L S E E N C E E D I D P L A N T E E R I E D S E T S

SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. Limited sizes are available for shirt prize. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

P L A C E N T A

T A L L

P H A R M A

A P A S S S P A K E C O T R B

R O B S

O S L O

S E E N

M A R G I N A L I A

P L E A S

P O R T

T O E S

E N D S

SEE PAGE 12

The Celebrated TEXT ME MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries, you’ll score our goodie package!

JULY 27, 2018

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

1. DOC 2. UTI 3. ICU 4. CUT 5. SCAR

6. SINUS 7. WRIST 8. ANKLE 9. STOMACH 10. STERNUM

TheSUDOKUsolution 1 7 2 4 8 9 6 3 5

9 5 3 6 2 7 1 8 4

6 8 4 5 3 1 9 7 2

7 6 1 3 4 5 8 2 9

4 3 9 2 1 8 7 5 6

5 2 8 7 9 6 4 1 3

3 9 6 1 7 2 5 4 8

8 4 7 9 5 3 2 6 1

2 1 5 8 6 4 3 9 7

QUOTATION QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION “Ah summer — what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” — Russell Baker

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

MEDICAL AUGUSTA’S MOST INFECTIOUS NEWSPAPER

READ EVERY ISSUE ONLINE WWW.ISSUU.COM/ MEDICALEXAMINER

JULY 27, 2018

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

PROFILES … from page 3 noted preacher Charles T. Walker, chaplain of the company and founder of Tabernacle Baptist Church (but no relation to Charles Walker, the politician of recent times), told Stoney the company didn’t have a doctor and needed one. Stoney did not hesitate to put his lucrative private practice on hold to serve, only to be told upon volunteering that “no _____ doctors were needed.” You may fi ll in the blank as you see fit. Undeterred, Dr. Stoney spoke to an Augustan who had undeniable connections in Washington, one Judson Whitlocke Lyons, the first African American attorney in Georgia history, a man so accomplished he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention at the tender age of 20. Lyons had met President McKinley during one of his stays at the original BonAir Hotel and, to make a long story short, was not long after

appointed Registrar of the Treasury, a position in which he served from 1898 to 1906, giving him the distinction of being the only Augustan whose signature has appeared on US currency. But we digress. Dr. Stoney took the train to Washington, D.C., and he and Lyons walked around the corner to the War Department (today’s Executive Office Building), and in 15 minutes Stoney had his commission. Mere days later First Lieutenant Dr. George N. Stoney arrived by train at Key West and shipped out to Cuba from there within a week. In short order he was working with Army doctor Walter Reed, noted for his research into tropical diseases like yellow fever and typhoid fever, which felled thousands of troops in Cuba and later, workers building the Panama Canal. As director of Washington’s Army Medical Museum and a member of the faculty of both George Washington

University School of Medicine and the then-newly opened Army Medical School (named for him 7 years after his death), Reed was always a busy man on the move and didn’t stay in Panama long. He commissioned Stoney to continue his research when he left Cuba, which Dr. Stoney did, eventually returning with trunkloads of data. The research resulted in the development of vaccines that saved countless lives and made possible the completion of the Panama Canal. Scour the history of that era, however, for any references to Dr. Stoney’s contribution to vanquishing tropical diseases and you will come up empty. His work was never acknowledged in an award, a plaque, or even so much as a letter of gratitude. That snub is said to have stung Dr. Stoney for the rest of his life. That doesn’t mean he curled up in a ball and quit, however. Aside from returning to his private practice, Dr. Stoney, teamed up with Lucy C. Laney to establish the Haines Normal & Industrial Institute. There, the first nursing program in Georgia for black women was launched. In those times of segregation, its graduates served black patients at Lamar Hospital. The amount of assistance afforded by whites to these visionary members of the Augusta medical community, given the climate of the day, was a testament to their personal integrity and determined perseverance.

THANKYOU! K Medical Examiner Issue #1 was dated July 1, 2006. 2,175,000 copies later weʼre still going strong, and for that we thank each and every reader and every single advertiser from the first issue to the one youʼre reading right now. We couldnʼt have done it without you!

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University Hospital’s Dr. William H. Doughty was an ardent supporter, and Gazeway Lamar (namesake of the Lamar Wing, courtesy of a $10,000 bequest from his will that Stoney and Doughty jointly administered)) was likewise very benevolent to AfricanAmerican causes. That doesn’t mean relations were perfect. Dr. Stoney, the only black physician given hospital privileges when the “new” University Hospital opened in 1914, was nevertheless barred from places like the doctor’s dining room and physician lounges. He was expected to do his duties as invisibly as possible and leave the premises. In fact, years later when black and white nursing students were eventually taught together, the white students all sat on one side of the room and the black students all sat on the other. An 8-foot wide aisle separated the two camps. The instructor addressed the white students only, never even glancing toward the black nursing students. But prejudice was never an obstacle to Dr. Stoney’s dedication to his profession. Today’s Augusta University (MCG) School of Nursing occupies the former Stoney Nurses Home, opened in 1939 to house students attending the Lamar School of Nursing, founded in 1897. A plaque marks the spot, although Stoney’s legacy is measured in people, not historical monuments. He died at age 61 in October of 1926. +

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JULY 27, 2018

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