[The history of Horton's disease or ... 10 centuries of a fascinating adventure].

In 1932, Horton, Magath and Brown reported two cases of a "new form of arteritis affecting the temporal vessels ... which probably represents a new clinical syndrome". In reality, several publications, devoted to the same pathology already preceded this article. The most ancient is that of an ophthalmologist from Baghdad, Ali Ibn Isa (940 to 1010). In his memories, translated and published in english in 1936, the author states that "he undertook excision and cauterisation of arteries to treat patients who were suffering from heat and inflammation of their temporal muscles and which sometimes ended in loss of vision ...". In 1890, J. Hutchinson, an English surgeon, reported a case "... of inflammed and swollen temporal arteries ...". This article was only brought to light in 1946. In 1930, M. Schmidt, published a probable case of temporal arteritis, subsequently reported in 1947. In 1934 and 1936, Horton published new cases of temporal arteritis and defined the clinical characteristics of the disease and its histology. In 1938, Jennings made a particular contribution in reporting the first case of blindness. From this time on, cases of temporal arteritis became increasingly common in the literature. The first French case was described by J. Paviot et al. in 1934, but remained largely unrecognized until 1942. In 1936, J. Chavany was the first to describe the pillow sign, but more particularly in 1948, he prescribed the first treatment with steroids, with spectacular results. It was only in 1950 that R.M. Shick et al. published the effects of steroid therapy in temporal arteritis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)