https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22159 2026-04-09T01:38:18Z 2026-04-09T01:38:18Z Boffa, Charles J. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22191 2017-10-04T01:26:39Z 2003-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Some aspects of the ancient human past and trepanation of the skull Authors: Boffa, Charles J. Abstract: When tomorrow's historians chronicle the 20th century, they will almost certainly highlight Mankind's increasing consciousness of Life and advances in medicine and surgery. If Medicine can be defined as the conscious attempt to fight disease and alleviate suffering, then it is old as human consciousness itself. Not infrequently the human ancient past is not clear and shrouded in the mists of antiquity. However in the light of research, some evidence from palaeontology shows that early Man did try to lessen suffering and alleviate pain. Survival of the fittest went on in all parts of the world, including our Islands. Infant mortality was indeed very high. In studying the past, we are given within limits an opportunity of correlating some aspects of Life and palaeontology. To a great extent, it was the success of simple tools that started the whole trend of the ascent of Man and led over the ages, to the civilizations which gradually went forward. Our ancestors were not fossils, they were striving creatures with the will to live. What evolved very slowly was a pattern of life - exploratory and vigorous. More tools, hunting, selection and survival of the fittest and the environment produced ancient Man of the genus Homo, perhaps half a million years, or so ago.

2003-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22190 2017-10-04T01:26:58Z 2003-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Brief intervention training in smoking cessation : a workshop for family doctors Abstract: The Malta College of Family Doctors (MCFD), in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), the Smoking Target Action Group (STAG) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), held a one-day workshop for family doctors on Saturday 18th October 2003 entitled "Brief Intervention Training in Smoking Cessation". The workshop was organised by Dr Mario R Sammut, MCFD Secretary for Education, and facilitated by Dr Prannie Rhatigan, Director of the ICGP Smoking Cessation Programme, with Ms Norma Cronin, an anti-tobacco specialist from the Irish Cancer Society (Figure 1). The venue was the Golden Tulip Vivaldi Hotel, St Julian's.

2003-12-01T00:00:00Z Madjova, Valentina Todorova, Valentina Assenova, R. Konstantinov, P. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22186 2019-11-01T08:49:40Z 2003-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The clinical significance of urinary tract infection and Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in the general practices of Varna region - Bulgaria Authors: Madjova, Valentina; Todorova, Valentina; Assenova, R.; Konstantinov, P. Abstract: Background: The urinary system of diabetics is one of their most frequently affected body systems. Periodic urine analysis reveals that asymptomatic bacteriuria is very often detected in this population. Objectives: The aim of the study is to estimate the clinical significance of upper urinary tract infection (UUT/) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in diabetics in a general practice setting, their clinical characteristics, incidence, course, evolution and complications. Methods: We tested 560 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) from 12 general practices ofVarna region, Bulgaria in a prospective study. We traced ABU in the group for 2 years. There were 310 female patients (55.4%) mean age 52.5 ± 3.2 years and duration of DM was 8.5 ± 2.8 years. Results: The results showed that in 11.14% ABU was significant. Only 4.82% of diabetics developed upper urinary tract infection and the complications from it were very rare: 0.89% pyonephrosis and 0.89% sepsis. Conclusions: Our conclusion was that upper urinary tract infection in diabetics was not as severe as reported in the literature. Pyelonephritis had a benign course and only 16.6% of our patients developed chronic renal failure a few years later but the reason for its development was not diabetic nephropathy. All these facts show that ABU disappears spontaneously in most diabetics. Relevance to general practice: We discuss the question: is it necessary for every case of ABU in diabetics in general practice to be treated and isn't it time to revaluate the postulated antibiotic treatment for diabetics with ABU?

2003-12-01T00:00:00Z Sammut, Mario R. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22176 2017-10-03T01:28:10Z 2003-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Activities and achievements of the Malta College of Family Doctors 1989-2003 Authors: Sammut, Mario R. Abstract: This paper chronicles the history of the College until May 2003. The Malta College of Family Doctors is an autonomous academic institution founded in 1989 whose object is to encourage, foster and maintain the highest possible standards in family medicine in Malta, and to sustain and improve the professional qualifications of members of the medical profession in Malta who are engaged in family medicine.

2003-12-01T00:00:00Z