When rheumatoid arthritis was given its name in the 19th century, those who suffered from it–including Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir–had little to look forward to beyond life in a wheelchair. Even in the 1950s, there were still few treatments available. It was treated with aspirin and cortisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory with severe side effects (at lower doses it is still used). Injections of gold salts also provided some relief, although no one really knew why
This video was created and displayed at The ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting. It was a no branded video for the drug Enbrel. The video showcased the effects of arthritis. As part of the research we conducted into creating the video we found footage of Renoir that was filmed by his grandson. This was the first time the footage had ever been seen by the public.
