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Biomedical subjects

J H Comroe

Publications and source records attributed to J H Comroe.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Roast pig and scientific discovery. Part II.

In Part I of "Roast Pig and Scientific Discovery" (American Review of Respiratory Disease, May 1977). I gave a classic instance of Chance, or Serendipity, as related by Charles Lamb in his "Dissertation upon Roast Pig." In this essay, Lamb tells how many centuries ago Bo-Bo, the Chinese swine-herd's son, stumbled upon the delicacy of roast pork when he accidentally burned down his father's house and barn and in the process roasted ("burnt") nine newly farrowed pigs. I then gave (A) eight examples in which chance speeded or completed a scientist's ongoing work and (B) five examples in which chance changed the direction of a scientist's work and pointed him toward a new goal. In Part II, I will give more examples of a change in direction of a scientist's work that resulted from chance, and speculate on the role of chance in speeding the advance of science.

Anaphylaxis↗
PubMed1977

Premature science and immature lungs. Part III. The attack on immature lungs.

In Part I, I gave an account of the discovery of surface forces by Laplace and by Young (1805-1806) and of its first application of the lung by Von Neergaard in 1929. Part II told some highlights of the rediscovery of surface forces, the discovery of pulmonary surfactant and of its unique properties, and the finding that the lungs of babies who died of respiratory distress syndrome ("hyaline membrane disease") lacked this remarkable substance; part II dealt largely with the work of Radford, Pattle, Clements, Avery, and Mead. Part III tells of the multidisciplinary attack on immature lungs; it concludes this series, but not the story, because, as is almost always true in science, many questions still need answers.

Humans↗