This paper traces the understanding of angina pectoris over two centuries from its first description by William Heberden, emphasising the Scottish dimension in this process. Such a retrospect is appropriate at a time when natural disasters in several parts of the world are drawing attention to their effect in increasing the incidence of heart attacks.
HeberdenW.Commentaries on the history and cure of diseases. London: T Payne; 1806. p.364.
2.
RainsAHJ.Letters from the past. London: The Royal College of Surgeons of England; 1976. p.18n. [see also Baron J. The life of Edward Jenner MD…Physician extraordinary to the King: with illustrations of his doctrines, and selections from his correspondence. London: Henry Colburn; 1838.]
3.
PettigrewTJLettsomJCSkeltonW Memoirs of the life and writings of the late John Coakley Lettsom: with a selection of his correspondence. London: Nichols Son &Bentley; 1817.
4.
BrockR. Museum, research and the inspiration of Hunter: Hunterian oration delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons of England on 14th February1961. Ann R Coll Surg Engl1961; 29:1–27.
5.
HomeE.A short account of the author’s life. In: Hunter J. A treatise on the blood, inflammation and gun-shot wounds. London: George Nicol; 1794. p.62–4.
6.
Russell, KF. Catalogue of the historical books in the library of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Melbourne: Queensbury Hill Press; 1979. p.21.
7.
GuthrieD.A history of medicine. London: Thomas Nelson &Sons Ltd; 1945. p.257.
8.
BurnsA.Observations on some of the most frequent and important diseases of the heart. Edinburgh: James Muirhead; 1809. In: Liebowitz JO. The history of coronary heart disease. London: The Wellcome Institute of the History of Medicine; 1970. p.104.
9.
BruntonTL.Preliminary notes on possibility of treating mitral stenosis by surgical methods. Lancet 1902; 1:352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(01)81502-6
ButlerAR.The heart less bounding: treating angina pectoris. J R Coll Physicians Edinb2006; 36:185–89.
12.
MartindaleW.The extra pharmacopoeia. 23rd ed. London: The Pharmaceutical Press; 1952. p.166.
13.
BramwellB.Diseases of the heart and thoracic aorta. Edinburgh: Young J Pentland; 1884. p.659.
14.
HillI.The wind of change in cardiology. Practitioner1968; 201:44–55.
15.
GuthrieD.A history of medicine. London: Thomas Nelson &Sons Ltd; 1945. p.367.
16.
CameronGR.Edward Jenner, F.R.S. 1749–1823. Notes and records of the Royal Society 1949; 7:43–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsnr.1949.0003
17.
WintonR.Why the pomegranate? A history of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Sydney: The Royal Australasian College of Physicians; 1988. p.41.
18.
GilchristAR.Coronary artery disease. In: Refresher course for general practitioners. 2nd collection. London: British Medical Association; 1954. p.136–7.
19.
Led the way in heart drug find [Internet]. The Age (Melbourne). 2010 March 25 [cited 2011 Sept 14]. Available from: http://www.theage.com.au/world/led-the-way-in-heart-drug-find-20100324-qwo8.html
20.
WeatherallD.Science and the quiet art. The role of medical research in health care. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1995. p.114–5.
21.
Radio broadcast. 1October1939 [later published in: Churchill W, Churchill R. Into Battle: speeches. London: Cassell &Co; 1941. p.131].