Cell 2 Soul: The Humane Health Care Blog

Marginal Notes: A Pig in a Poke

 

I was tickled pink to learn that scientists have succeeded in sequencing the genome of the pig.

 

According to a recent NPR piece, the DNA sequence comes from a single Duroc pig, one of five major breeds used in pork production.  By comparing the genome of a domestic pig to that of wild ones, scientists hope to isolate and study regions of the genome that contribute to behavior and disease resistance.

 

One surprise thus far is that the structure and sequence of the porcine genome seem to be closely related to the human genome—similarities are much more apparent than scientists had previously suspected. >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Casting pearls

 

Like a tsunami wave, the swine flu has descended upon us .  Office telephones ring incessantly; patients appear in our waiting room in droves.  Hurriedly, I scribble a note in a patient's chart and think:  How will I ever get through this day, let alone the next five months?  At times like these I wonder whatever possessed me to opt for a career in primary care medicine.  >>more

 

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Reunion with the Dead

by Richard Sobel

As I entered the room I was suddenly confronted with every patient who had died under my care in the 26 years I had served the community. They appeared in order, the first person I hardly knew: he died shortly after I arrived in the village as the community physician, but the last to appear had died just a month previously. I had known this vivacious young girl since her birth 18 years previously. Surely, if this were a dream, it would be the nightmare of any clinician even if the treatment of each patient had been beyond reproach.

(Photo of Revivim settlers, Life Magazine, 1948)

Read here for full text: Download ReunionSobel

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (III)

Socrates consults the general practitioner of medicine Aesculapius to ask both his opinion on the Athenian health care system and a favor as well. >>more

The third in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform. Apropos of these discussions, readers may wish to peruse previous conversations with Aeschylus and Plato here and here.

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A Socratic dialog on health care reform (II)

After speaking with the tragedian Aeschylus, Socrates encounters his former political science student Plato, who relates the latest debates in the Senate and explains the Athenian health care system from his perspective. >>more

The second in a series of Socratic dialogs on health care reform.  Interested readers may access the first conversation here.

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A Noteworthy Twitter

As I back into the parking space at the edge of the wood and step outside my car, the melodic trills of a veery sound clear and sharp, descending the scale like a xylophone in the early morning air.  Punctuated by a pause, the song repeats in flawless fashion.  The number of notes I can not count, but the pattern is unmistakable.  I stop to listen and find myself transported back in time to another summer day years ago when my friend and I spent an afternoon exploring a stretch of the Connecticut River.  >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

 

Marginal Notes: Summer Berrying

 

"Blueberries" copyright©2009 by Joshua L. Maurer

“The sun is hot; you’ll need a hat,” I say, reaching the small wide-brimmed straw bowler down from the coat rack and placing it on my granddaughter’s head.  The tails of the black ribbon bow trail halfway down her back.

The three of us—my son, my granddaughter and me—pile into the station wagon and head out.  It’s a short fifteen minute drive to the farm.  Today the sign says that you can pick both blueberries and raspberries.  We pull in the lane and park at the shack behind the white clapboard farmhouse. >>more

 

"Berrying on the farm" copyright©2009 Joshua L. Maurer

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: A New England Morning

Here in New England the morning breaks cool under a cloud speckled sky.  A slight breeze stirs the leaves on the wisteria that has wrapped its runners around the balustrade and posts on the porch.

On one of the bare branches of an old maple across the street five blackbirds perch, occasionally jostling one another, like patrons shifting on stools at a lunch counter. >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: The Shark and the Doe

 

Photograph by Brian J. Skerry

 

As I drove along the highway en route to the gym for my morning workout, I thought about the last e-mail message I had read before retiring the previous night:  a former runner and high school classmate, “The Shark,” now dead at 55 from injuries sustained in a freak motorcycle accident over the July 4^th holiday weekend.  A vehicle pulled out in front of him as he tooled down a local highway.  The driver didn’t see the oncoming bike until it was too late.

 

Shortly after I crossed the bridge heading north I noticed a slight movement in the shadows beneath the trees.  >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

 

Marginal Notes: Lord of the Rings

 

Photo copyright© by Brian T. Maurer

 

I ran into Loering down at the post office.  His tall thin frame hovered over the long table by the window as he sorted through the stack of envelopes freshly extracted from his post office box.

 

“They’re taking down the big ash tree on Maple Street,” I told him.

 

“I saw them working on it this morning when I walked down for the mail,” Loering said.  “That’s the last one to go.”

 

“Last one?”

 

“The last of the original trees on that street.  Over the years I’ve watched them all come down, one by one...”

 

Loering's cloudy blue eyes danced in the late morning sunlight that streamed in through the front window.  >>more

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for thirty years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."