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Robert H. Wilkins, MD; Irwin A. Brody, MD

Arch Neurol. 1968;19(5):540.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

THE use of eponyms to denote medical syndromes is common among physicians and especially among neurologists. A disadvantage of this practice is that the names themselves are not descriptive. Furthermore, confusion arises when more than one person is credited with a single achievement or when one man's name is attached to several discoveries. Despite these drawbacks, the eponym avoids lengthy descriptive terminology and conveys meaning with brevity. In addition, each eponym is a lesson in the history of medicine and keeps alive the names of those who contributed to medical progress. It seems preferable to retain this human element in nosology rather than to replace it with a series of resounding Latin adjectives, many of which will later seem unimportant as the disease is further elucidated. (For a contrary opinion, see Wartenberg.¹)

The convenience of an eponym is exemplified by the complex syndrome resulting from paralysis of the . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Durham, NC

From the divisions of neurosurgery and neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

Footnotes
Submitted for publication Dec 20, 1967; accepted Dec 22.

Reprint requests to Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27706 (Dr. Wilkins).

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