Eponymous Signs of Tuberculosis (1768-1908)

Abstract

This historical review examines the development and significance of medical eponyms associated with tuberculosis from the late 18^th to early 20^th centuries, focusing on their role in diagnosing the disease. Spanning the period from 1768 to 1908, the review covers 16 eponyms, including Burghart, De la Camp, D'Espine, Erni, Jackson, Jürgensen, Roussel, Smith, and Whytt signs, along with key observations by Frédéricq-Thompson, Gröber, Murat, Roque, Rothschild, Skeer, and Stocker. These eponyms were crucial in guiding tuberculosis diagnosis before advanced imaging techniques became available, providing valuable insights into the disease's clinical manifestations. Notable examples include Jackson sign, which refers to a prolonged expiratory sound in pulmonary tuberculosis; Smith sign, indicating enlarged bronchial glands detected by auscultation; D'Espine sign, highlighting specific auscultatory sounds between the seventh cervical and first thoracic vertebrae; and Erni sign, describing a cough triggered by percussion at the lung apices. Specifically, Smith and Roque signs, which represent advanced stages of pulmonary tuberculosis with compression from bronchial and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, affecting the bronchial airway and sympathetic nerve pathways, remain relevant in contemporary medical practice. Although some of these signs are no longer widely used, they highlight the continued importance of physical examination in understanding tuberculosis. The review also provides brief biographical details of each discoverer, alongside original descriptions of the signs. By emphasizing the value of traditional diagnostic methods, this review advocates for the integration of clinical signs with modern radiographic techniques to enhance tuberculosis diagnosis and patient care.

Keywords: Eponyms; history of medicine; physical examination; signs; terminology.