ndersen er an - Gundersen Health System

Editor’s Message
With this issue of the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Journal comes a change of season and
a timely ode:
Spring has sprung,
The grass has riz,
I wonder where the flowers is.
The boid is on the wing—
Absoid!
Of course the wing is on the boid!
— Anonymous, New York Times, March 1948
This issue incorporates works by several authors from outside Gundersen Lutheran
Health System. This may be a reflection, in part, of both the breadth of distribution and
readership that the Journal provides. I would welcome any suggestions to help ensure that
this trend continues!
Dr Douglas Lanska, a practicing neurologist with Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
Great Lakes Healthcare System, in Tomah, Wisconsin, comments on Dr Jeffrey Sartin’s
article concerning Civil War medicine published in our last issue. Then Dr Lanska
and Dr Sartin join forces to provide interesting insights into Dr William Hammond’s
contributions to medical care during the 1800s.
Ms Denise Milton and several colleagues from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
offer both a timely and important original research project concerning exercise and
functional fitness in older adults. I think many of you, particularly those who care for
older patients, will find this report relevant to patient care.
Ms Alissa Reierson and Dr Daniel Houlihan from the Minnesota State University –
Mankato offer an interesting review of childhood anorexia nervosa that should have
relevance for those caring for pediatric patients and their families.
Drs Jennifer Mattingley and Linda Groon discuss Wernicke encephalopathy and
challenge those who care for patients with alcohol addiction to examine the current
intervention protocol. Congratulations also to Dr Mattingley, who will begin a
fellowship in pulmonary medicine, critical care, and sleep medicine at Mayo Clinic on
July 1. Upon completion of her training, Dr Mattingly will return to join Gundersen
Lutheran’s staff.
We have 2 thought-provoking case reports in this issue. Drs Swapna Narayana, Leah
Metz, and Todd Kowalski report a case of African tick bite fever and salmonellosis,
and Dr Balaji Vishwanat describes use of the Tensilon test for differential diagnosis of
myasthenia gravis.
Finally, this issue’s Reprise features a publication from the Department of Surgery.
Authors Dr Gina M. Risty, et al published their article about the increased risks for
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