Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) affect as many as 1 in 45 children and are characterized by deficits in sociability and communication, as well as stereotypic movements. Many children also show severe anxiety.

Miss Davison was a medical artist at the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) and the University of Manchester from around 1918 until her retirement in 1957. During her long career she illustrated books and scientific papers on anthropology, anatomy and surgery, however, it’s her work for neurosurgeon Geoffrey Jefferson during the 1930s–1950s that she is best remembered. She first met Jefferson when he was a lecturer in anatomy researching into cervical fractures and did some illustration work for him during the 1930s. After 1945 she devoted most of her time to the MRI Neurosurgical Department, preparing hundreds of sketches, watercolour paintings and finished drawings of neuropathological specimens and Jefferson’s operations for his lectures, scientific papers and books. She became known for her striking pictures produced on ‘Ross board’, a difficult technique involving the use of carbon powder on special art paper to reproduce shading and depth of view.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an escalating problem with an almost geometric progression. The problem escalated with increasing population and traffic, but with limited resources to handle the issue.1,2 The present study has its objective focused on making a prognosis of the TBI patient.3 The outcome prediction helps in conveying the prognosis to the patient’s family. Needless to say, a prognostic prediction is also helpful in the optimal and timely utilization of available resources.

Spinal conditions are commonplace in the developing world, and Sub-saharan Africa (SSA) is no exception. Traumatic conditions of the spine occur regularly, and when they do, they usually demand a level of urgency in diagnosis and treatment, not to mention skill on the part of the treating doctors. Tuberculosis of the spine as well as tumours and degenerative conditions are also big players in this arena. Spine care is complicated by fact that spine instrumentation is technology and cost intensive, which does not sit well with many third world countries. All these factors taken together create a hostile environment which leads to outcomes far from ideal for the spinal patient. OBJECTIVES: To describe the presentation and management of four patients from SSA countries presenting with spinal problems whose management illustrates some of the problems referenced above. METHODS: Discussion of four cases and review of the literature.