Health Industries in the Twentieth Century. Introduction

This article is the introduction to the special issue' Health Industries in the Twentieth Century'. It offers a broad literature review of scholarly works about the history of health and medicine, and stresses the opportunities for business historians to tackle the field of healthcare

Trends and Regional Differences in Breastfeeding in Germany From 1871 To 1937

This article describes trends and regional differences in breastfeeding within Germany from 1870 to 1937. Sharp regional differences in both the in cidence and duration of breastfeeding are present around 1910. There is a com plex pattern of trends in infant-feeding practices. Breastfeeding declined in urban areas between the late nineteenth century and the first World War. A strong nationwide resurgence in the incidence of breastfeeding occurred between the two world wars, accompanied by a decline in the average duration of breastfeeding. By 1937, the formerly great regional differences in breastfeeding had nearly dis appeared. The article also discusses social, economic, cultural, and historical variables affecting infant-feeding practices, including local breastfeeding customs, a national infant welfare campaign, and allowances to nursing mothers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67272/2/10.1177_036319908501000203.pd

The impact of breastfeeding patterns on regional differences in infant mortality in Germany, 1910

This paper examines the impact of breastfeeding practices on the large regional differences in infant mortality in Germany around 1910. Breastfeeding is strongly negatively associated with infant mortality and remains so after controlling for public health measures and for demographic, economic, and social factors that also affect infant mortality. But it contributes much less to regional differences in infant mortality than do access to medical care, percentage illegitimate and marital fertility. Breastfeeding is less important than these other factors because it affects fewer causes of death and has a smaller impact on cause-specific infant mortality rates. L'auteur étudie l'impact des pratiques d'allaitement sur les grandes différences régionales de mortalité infantile observées en Allemagne aux alentours de 1910. Il existe une association fortement négative entre l'allaitement et la mortalité infantile, même quand on contrôle les facteurs démographiques, économiques, sociaux et de politique sanitaire, qui, eux aussi, affectent la mortalité infantile. Mais les différences régionales de mortalité infantile s'expliquent nettement moins par l'allaitement que par l'accessibilité des soins médicaux, le taux d'illégitimité des naissances et la fécondité légitime. L'allaitement est un facteur de moindre importance que ceux-ci parce qu'il n'a d'impact que sur un petit nombre de causes de décès, et un faible impact sur les taux de mortalité infantile par cause.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42730/1/10680_2005_Article_BF01796777.pd

Schlussbericht zum Demonstrationsprojekt einer netzgekoppelten Photovoltaikanlage auf dem Kundenforum der ESSAG in Calau

The project had the aim to plan, erect and operate a photovoltaic system installed on a roof and to investigate and demonstrate the combined use of solar generators oriented in eastern, southern and western direction, dc-ac converters, the self-produced electricity, and the public mains.- With the aid of ''energy managers'' (SPS), self-consumption of the power generated is optimized by connecting suitable household consumers (washing machines, linen driers, dish-washers) according to their power demand. Thus, one hopes to acquire knowledge on the ability of consumers to adapt their style of life and habits to the supply conditions of solar power.- The installation forms part of the MuD programme of WIP, which records and evaluates all measuring results over a period of two years. The first summarized results are expected to be submitted in summer 1997 (orig.)Zielsetzung ist, durch die Planung, den Bau und den Betrieb einer aufdachmontierten Photovoltaik-Anlage das Zusammenwirken von Solargeneratoren in Ost-, Sued-, Westrausrichtung, den Wechselrichtern und dem selbstgenutzten elektrischen Strom sowie dem oeffentlichen Netz zu untersuchen und zu demonstrieren. Durch den Einsatz von 'Energiemanagern' (SPS) soll der Eigenverbrauch des erzeugten Stromes durch die leistungsabhaengige Schaltung von geeigneten Haushaltsverbrauchern (Waschmaschine, Waeschetrockner, Geschirrspuelmaschine) optimiert werden, um so Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen ueber die Moeglichkeit der Anpassung von Lebensstil und Verbraucherverhalten an das solare Leistungsangebot. Die Anlage ist in das MuD-Programm der WIP integriert, welches ueber einen Zeitraum von 2 Jahren saemtliche Messergebnisse erfasst und auswertet. Mit dem Vorliegen erster zusammengefasster Ergebnisse wird im Sommer 1997 gerechnet. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: DtF QN1(38,7) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Gastric electrical stimulation for abdominal pain in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis

Abdominal pain physiology may be better understood studying electrophysiology, histology, and symptom scores in patients with the symptoms of gastroparesis (Gp) treated with gastric electrical stimulation (GES). Ninety-five Gp patients\u27 symptoms were recorded at baseline and during temporary and permanent GES. Gastric-emptying times and cutaneous, mucosal, and serosal electrogastrograms were obtained. S100-stained, full-thickness gastric biopsies were compared with autopsy controls. Sixty-eight patients reported severe pain at baseline. Severe pain patients\u27 mean pain scores decreased with temporary GES from 3.62 to 1.29 (P \u3c 0.001) and nonsevere pain from 1.26 to 0.67 (P = 0.01). With permanent GES, severe mean pain scores fell to 2.30 (P \u3c 0.001); nonsevere pain changed to 1.60 (P = 0.221). Mean follow-up was 275 days. Mean cutaneous, mucosal, and serosal frequencies and frequency-to-amplitude ratios were markedly higher than literature controls. For patients with Gp overall and subdivided by etiology and severity of pain, S-100 neuronal fibers were significantly reduced in both muscularis propria layers. GES improved severe pain associated with symptoms of Gp. This severe pain is associated with abnormal electrogastrographic activity and loss of S100 neuronal fibers in the stomach\u27s inner and outer muscularis propria and, therefore, could be the result of gastric neuropathy

Fabrication of High-Temperature-Stable Thermoelectric Generator Modules Based on Nanocrystalline Silicon

High-temperature-stable thermoelectric generator modules (TGMs) based on nanocrystalline silicon have been fabricated, characterized by the Harman technique, and measured in a generator test facility at the German Aerospace Center. Starting with highly doped p- and n-type silicon nanoparticles from a scalable gas-phase process, nanocrystalline bulk silicon was obtained using a current-activated sintering technique. Electrochemical plating methods were employed to metalize the nanocrystalline silicon. The specific electrical contact resistance ρc of the semiconductor–metal interface was characterized by a transfer length method. Values as low as ρc < 1 × 10−6 Ω cm2 were measured. The device figure of merit of a TGM with 64 legs was approximately ZT = 0.13 at 600°C as measured by the Harman technique. Using a generator test facility, the maximum electrical power output of a TGM with 100 legs was measured to be roughly 1 W at hot-side temperature of 600°C and cold-side temperature of 300°C