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Medical Detectives

Medical Detectives (University of Edinburgh). A series of public lectures which show that keen detective work is still essential for 21st Century doctors. Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the lectures highlight the University of Edinburgh's acclaimed medical research. Conan Doyle drew inspiration for his character Sherlock Holmes when he was a medical student at Edinburgh. He based Holmes on the Professor of Medicine Joseph Bell, who was known for his meticulous attention to detail. Today's medical sleuths, just like Holmes, must use powers of observation and deduction not only to make the right diagnosis but also to find new treatments.

Curing Leukaemia: Mustard Gas, Guinea Pigs and DNA. By Dr. Angela Thomas. From First World War observations that mustard gas caused lymphoid tissue to dissolve and that folate seemed to accelerate the leukaemic process, carefully chosen chemicals were used to tackle leukaemia, sometimes with startling success. In the early days, some children were cured with this minimal therapy. As more drugs were discovered, so treatment intensified and more children were cured. The current challenge is to identify which children will do well with less treatment and who need more. This is where the new DNA technologies have proved so helpful to ensure that children with leukaemia have the maximum chance of cure with the minimum side effects.

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