Some Applications of Physics to -clinical Medicine

RECENTLY Dr. Alex Comfort (I963) has referred in a particular context to the 'irruption of the physicist' into the medical field. Although his entry has been generally less dramatic than this would suggest, the physicist is increasingly to be found in the membership of clinical departments and research teams. Most teaching hospitals and many other large hospitals have physics departments and the sphere of application of physics to medicine has widened greatly beyond the field of radiotherapy, in which quantitative physical work was originally done. This has come about partly because the clinician has employed physical agents such as X-rays and radioactive substances, which require physical measurement of a highly sophisticated order for their use and control, and partly because new physical methods, particularly electronic techniques, have extended the range and type of measurement which can have diagnostic significance. Not least among the characteristics usually found in the physicist is his inclination towards quantitative and mathematical expression; this, if realistically applied, can be an asset of great importance. As Mayneord (1942) once pointed out, some words of Richard Mead, who was physician to Newton, make interesting comment today; '. . . that Mathematical Learning will be the Distinguishing Mark of a Physician from a Quack; and that He who wants this necessary qualification will be as Ridiculous as One without Greek or Latin'! It is hoped that this article will indicate some of the ways in which, in this department, physical and mathematical methods aid clinical research. We know that today these examples are paralleled by similar work in many other medical centres here and abroad. Rather than contribute one long paper, going deeply into a particular subject, we have presented five comparatively short sections which give sufficient detail to put each topic before the reader and show its relation to some aspect of clinical medicine.