Thomas Addison: Addisonian (Pernicious) Anaemia, Addison's Disease of the Suprarenal Gland. Issue 1 (January 2013) - Ellis, Harold
Keen young medical researchers today might be forgiven if they believe that their labours require expensive equipment in sophisticated laboratories. It is salutary for them to be reminded that close clinical study of their patients may lead to remarkably important advances. One has only to think of Sir Richard Doll's work on the association of lung cancer and smoking, (which only cost the salary of a part-time secretary), or of Dennis Burkett's research on a peculiar tumour in children in tropical Africa which now bears his name. In 1855, Thomas Addison, physician at Guy's Hospital, published a slim, beautifully produced monograph of 39 pages, illustrated with 11 large colour plates entitled 'Disease of the suprarenal capsules'. I have a facsimile copy of the book open in front of me as I write. Briefly, in the preface, he notes the discovery of another 'new' disease, of idiopathic anaemia. This condition was invariably fatal, with no organic lesion to be found at post-mortem examination.