Here are 3 links that I stumbled on this week that I think are worth a peek.  I’ve not been one to curate links, but I see so much great stuff.  I thought that I should share some of what I find.  Tell me what you think.

Telemedicine predicted in 1925

This post from Paleofuture, the retro futuristic Smithsonian blog, shows how one 1925 radio enthusiast predicted the future of telemedicine.  Publisher and entrepreneur Hugo Gernsback envisioned the use of remote robotic arms (teledactyls) that could sense resistance and feed information back to an ‘examining physician.’  While his precise vision never came to be, the operating physician in this picture does resemble an early 21st century surgeon operating a DaVinci robot.  This is one to keep. (image via Smithsonianmag.com)

First Person Sick

This post by New Jersey oncologist Jim Salwitz questions if it’s possible for us to see the world from beyond our personal lens view.  Using various narrative methods as a jumping off point, Salwitz and leaves us with the challenge of working harder to feel and understand beyond ourselves.  This is serious stuff.  His clear writing is surpassed only by his thinking.  I can’t remember the last time I read something four times.

Lego Anesthesia machine

And this is just silly.  It’s an anesthesia machine built to scale from Lego pieces.  It’s the work of Eric Harshbarger and it seems he was commissioned by GE Healthcare to put the project together.  You can see images at various stages of development here.  This story was bouncing crazy on Twitter and it supports my assertion that there’s a role for rejuvenalia in medicine.

I’m now inspired to recreate a full-scale endoscopy unit.  I wonder if Olympus will sponsor me.