Book Description

Para la medicina tradicional china, el cuerpo humano es el espejo del universo, en la medida en que sus elementos constituyentes son los mismos que se encuentran en la naturaleza y están gobernados por las mismas leyes. Se suele creer, erróneamente, que la medicina china no es más que acupuntura y fitoterapia. En realidad, la medicina china es un campo muy amplio que comprende muchos otros aspectos, como la medicina externa, el masaje terapéutico, la traumatología, el chi-kung y la salud mental y espiritual, que en este libro se explican de forma tan accesible como exacta y profunda. Esta obra, profusamente ilustrada, permite al lector occidental familiarizarse con esta tradición curativa milenaria y es, también, de gran utilidad para los profesionales del campo de la salud. ... Read more

Book Description

Hailed as "a remarkable achievement" (Boston Sunday Globe) and as "a triumph: simultaneously entertaining and instructive, witty and thought-provoking . . . a splendid and thoroughly engrossing book" (Los Angeles Times), Roy Porter's charting of the history of medicine affords us an opportunity as never before to assess its culture and science and its costs and benefits to mankind. Porter explores medicine's evolution against the backdrop of the wider religious, scientific, philosophical, and political beliefs of the culture in which it develops, covering ground from the diseases of the hunter-gatherers to today's threat of AIDS and ebola, from the clearly defined conviction of the Hippocratic oath to the muddy ethical dilemmas of modern-day medicine. Offering up a treasure trove of historical surprises along the way, this book "has instantly become the standard single-volume work in its field" (The Lancet). The Greatest Benefit to Mankind was a finalist for the National Book Critic's Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and a New York Times Notable Book of 1998. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A landmark for historical writing
This book delievers what it was written to deliever. It wasn't meant to be a brain candy, witty, clever, majestic, novel that makes the common person rush out to apply to medical school. It is going to seem "boring" if you don't want to LEARN about THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE. An excellent book preceding this to read would be "Guns, Germs, and Steel," by Jared Diamond to put things in a solid historical reality. This book is five stars, but be ready to engage yourself with the text, buy a highlighter if it helps you concentrate, go back to college, pretend you need to get an A in the History of Western Medicine, because you will have an A+ perspective on medicine if you keep the correct perspective regarding this book.

More a European History
This is the second review of three I have done of socio-medical histories written of edited by Roy Porter (you can read the others on my reivew page). I read and compared this to The "Cambridge Illustrated History: Medicine", and "Gout, the Patrician Maladay". I thought this was the best approach as people might be like me, looking for a reference work to buy and trying to toss up between which one to get and what the advantages and disadvantages of one over another.

In terms of content I think this is the more comprehensive of the two general reference works. It is over twice the length of Cambridge (over 800 pages in this one compared to not quite 400). It also doesn't have pages taken up with illustrations as Cambridge does. That is probably the thing I like least about this book, there are only three small sections in the middle with some black and white pictures reproduced - I think on comparison I do prefer the slightly more expensive version of having pictures on the pages I am reading for this kind of reference work.

The book is divided into 22 chapters which follow the rise of Western medicine more or less chronologically. There are also chapters included on Chinese and Indian Medicine, but expect the emphasis to be European in both history and development. Each chapter is divided into specific topics which are discussed a structure I quite enjoyed as it broke up the text and made it more readable.

I looked up some specific subjects to compare this with the Cambrige work and in each case (among them Purperal fever, Galen, Resurrectionists) this book had far more detailed and comprehensive explanations, often citing broad statistics. However writing the a social and medical history of mankind is difficult to do full justice even in 800-some pages. It does give a slightly provide more detail but I wasn't really sure that the slightly greater detail was that much of an advantage to make up for the loss of illustration. In the end this is still only slightly more detail on broad trends rather than in-depth discussion. He does cover some people and subjects not dealt with in "Cambridge" including people like Dr James Barry, the first female surgeon (although she was masquerading as a man at the time) - but of course the space available doesn't allow Porter to discuss any of her other significant work as, in terms of forwarding the field of medicine, she was not earth-shattering.

Porter has a very good-natured and readable style of writing though and I really enjoyed it. He breaks this chapters up into short sections and interspeses them with rather nice jokes for instance on page 129 he writes of 'Trotula'said to be a female of 12th century medical school in Salerno but says " 'Dame Trot' was more likely a male writing in drag."

So while I very much enjoyed the book and would certainly have no qualms in recommending it to read at all, I do hold some reservations about it - but strictly in comparison with what else is available.

more a reference than a good read
this book is not easy to read. it reads like an encyclopedia, and a bad one at that. i could only bear a few hundred pages of it before i felt that i was wasting my time. only for the serious medical history student.

Tedious
When I read the NYTimes review of this book I bought it with anxious anticipation. After all, years ago I had absolutely loved Rene Dubos' "The Mirage of Health". However, this book was like wading through knee deep mud. So much for the book reviews in the papers. I know it is a gargantuan task, but someone needs to write a really interesting, flowing, readable book (or a series of books) about this fascinating subject. I also realize that much about this subject is unknown or speculation, but still...

A continental history of medicine
While anyone will admit that a complete history of medicine is a daunting task, Roy Porter manages to fall far short of his goal. The author purports to write a history of medicine but brings a distinctively European slant to the topic. He relegates American medical triumphs as eventual consequences of the medical knowledge originating in Europe. In addition he compensates for a lack of substance with a painful abundance of detail. There is a good discussion of "alternative" medicine, but the author asserts the superiority of Western Medicine and then neglects the topic. The result is a disjointed and painful read that can only appeal to diehard medical historians. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

More than the usual "detox" book.
This is a book written by an Orthomolecular doctor at his best. What you get here is much more than "how toos". Detoxification is about working from the fundamentals of a system and out from there. Dr. Baker, in speaking about this subject, gives a great example of how balance and imbalance, in healing, has always made perfect sense. This is a very enlightening and informative set of ideas that can help open new ways of thinking. Not, "way out - new age" concepts, but common sense connections about how our choices effect us and how we can be empowered to make changes to heal. I recommend this highly and also for anyone that wants to get a very good glimpse at how a good Orthomolecular doctor thinks about things. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

rivalry between two scientists
Edward Marriott's book is an interesting, well-written, anecdoctal account of two rival scientists studying the plague that struck Hong Kong in 1894. In the light of present day news stories of mad-cow disease, SARS, and other exotic ailments that possibly could pose a pandemic threat, Marriott's book is especially relevant.

Marriott brings the rat-infested harbor area and the exceedingly crowded, poor districts of the city to vivid life. The stark pictures of those soon-emptied areas, so quickly deserted by panicked residents, are chilling to view.

Recommended to all readers, and especially to those involved in public health issues.

It's out there!
Plague, commonly known as The Black Death, has occurred in three major pandemics, and this is a fine history of the latest, which started in China in the late 19th century and spread worldwide from Hong Kong. Investigations into the nature of the disease in 1894 culminated in a contest between two early microbiologists, Kitasato and Yersin, a tale with obvious modern parallels. This historical footnote is one of the major themes of the book, but the author then follows the spread of Plague from Hong Kong to India and on to America. It has become entrenched in various wild animals worldwide. This is a great medical history, and one of the best of the rash of books on "killer diseases" that currently flood the market.

Enlightening, entertaining, abbreviated
This is really 3 1/2 stars. The subject was engrossing, the story of the rivalry between the heroic Frenchman and the brilliant but cheating Japanese researchers interesting, the history of the plague informative. BUT it was very condensed; the chapters were quite short and needed fleshing out.

I did like the organization - alternating between a breakout of the plague in modern India and the one that struck turn of the century Hong Kong. Particularly disturbing were the tales of modern plague and the rather easy conditions needed to engender such a horror.

The author did not spend enough time with the main story. He concentrated on colonial conditions, the prejudice of the imperialists, the still-existing problem of health in the 3rd world. But the heart of the story was the rivalry between the two researchers and the plague itself. This could have been a brilliant book - instead it was only above average. Pictures and a bibliography are included.

Trying too hard to be original
PLAGUE starts out slow but gathers steam in the last hundred pages. This progression may have been inevitable. True stories of killer diseases have emerged as a genre in recent years since the publishing of Richard Preston's THE HOT ZONE, and the plague in particular is probably the most written-about disease in human history. So Marriott needed to try something new or be hopelessly derivative. The problem with this book is that Marriott perhaps attempts tries in too many ways before the story steadies itself and becomes compelling.

The basic set up of the book is, HOT ZONE-like, an icky outline of what the disease can do, then the story of the scientific exploration of the disease. (Even more than THE HOT ZONE, PLAGUE's tale of scientific rivalry in the race to understand the disease reminded me of Gina Kolata's FLU). This story, the rivalry between French doctor Alexander Yersin and his Japanese competitor, Kitasato Shibasaburo, is essentially what the book is about.

But before the Yersin-Kitasato race becomes interesting, Marriott inserts several side stories, some of which distract from the momentum of the main story. Most distracting is an ongoing story about a 1994 plague outbreak in India. That's only the lengthiest of several stories of "future" plague outbreaks. I think the point is that even though the bacteria that causes plague was identified a hundred years ago, even though the disease is now treatable, even though its method of transmission is now understood, it is still a problem for human societies. But the point could have been made better in a more linear story. As it is, the side stories seem to be inserted in slow moments of the main story. Perhaps Marriott felt that the main story did not provide enough material for a full, suspenseful book.

Nevertheless, the suspense level of PLAGUE picks up and the Yersin-Kitasato story reaches a finite end. Not so the larger story of the plague, as indicated by the somewhat open-ended Indian outbreak story, which mutates into a more personal story about a family affected by the social impact of what turns out to be a small outbreak. Unfortunately, this is how the book ends. I think I understand why, but it just doesn't work.

Lessons of History
Ask most educated people about the plague and the response you will get probably revolves around the "Black Death" of the Middle Ages that wiped out a good portion of the population of Europe. Most books about the plague tend to focus on this period. But Marriott's book reminds us that the plague is not gone, still popping up its ugly head from time to time.

In a world chilled by thoughts of bio-terrorism and SARS, most people tend to avoid books like this but I find them interesting. Humans will always be susceptible to disease but we will always fight back. In this book, Marriott tells the parallel stories of an outbreak of plague in southeast Asia in 1894 where two scientists--Alexandre Yersin and Shibasaburo Kitasato--tried to determine the process of this disease and an outbreak of plague in India in 1994 where he shows how panic still dominates our reactions to epidemics in our modern world. Along the way, he reminds Americans that plague also has its claws in the United States though our medical system tends to keep things at bay.

Ultimately, Marriott gives us a good look into the foundations of modern medicine and how diseases came to be combated despite the combat, both intellectual and physical, between doctors of different nations and sensibilities. He also reminds us in a rather subtle way of how primitive our response to deadly sickness remains despite our drugs and treatments--something that we need to be reminded of in a world where we could be called to respond to an epidemic on many fronts. His prose may not be as gripping as some writers in this field (Richard Preston comes to mind) but he gets the job done in a very readable way. ... Read more

Book Description

Obstetrics and Gynecology: A History and Iconography is the revised edition of Iconographia Gyniatrica, the first comprehensive attempt to record the history of obstetrics and gynecology through pictures. With nearly 1000 illustrations, it provides a monumental historical scope extending through prehistory.Drawing upon masterpieces of art, archeology, and medicine throughout the ages, this work is the most complete pictorial record of the art and science of obstetrics and gynecology ever published. It includes female anatomy, midwifery, embryology, labor and complications, obstetrical instruments, newborns, nursing, contraception, and obstetric and gynecological surgery. ... Read more

Book Description

With over 350 illustrations, this impressive volume traces the rich history of ideas about the functioning of the brain from its roots in the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome through the centuries into relatively modern times. In contrast to biographically oriented accounts, this book is unique in its emphasis on the functions of the brain and how they came to be associated with specific brain regions and systems. Among the topics explored are vision, hearing, pain, motor control, sleep, memory, speech, and various other facets of intellect. The emphasis throughout is on presenting material in a very readable way, while describing with scholarly acumen the historical evolution of the field in all its amazing wealth and detail. From the opening introductory chapters to the concluding look at treatments and therapies, this monumental work will captivate readers from cover to cover. It will be valued as both an historical reference and as an exciting tale of scientific discovery. It is bound to attract a wide readership among students and professionals in the neural sciences as well as general readers interested in the history of science and medicine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Origins of Neuroscience
This book is a wonderful introduction into the history of neurosciences and our understanding of the brain. It is an excellent read for the physician, scientist, or brain enthusiast. It is easy to follow and well organized. Finger captures the excitement of the important discoveries about the brain and diseases of the brain. I highly recommend this book for anyones shelf who collects history of medicine books. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

From Acupuncture to Yin/Yang, China's best is here!
Develop a deeper understanding of healing and harmony as this book explores anatomy and physiology with an Eastern philosophy. Discover how Chinese medicine practitioners evaluate, diagnose, and treat illness. Feel the fluid motion of Qi Gong and the healing touch of massage. Resources, workshops, and healing centers are also listed. This extensive volume of knowledge is an essential guide to many paths of wholeness. ... Read more

Book Description

This casebook is composed of 39 realistic case studies appropriate for introductory and advanced level courses in nutrition and diet therapy. Each case study uses the medical record as its structure. The student "solves the case" by using the information provided, i.e. hospital admission data, laboratory reports, and physician's narrative. The case is followed by a series of questions and applications that focus on pathophysiology, assessment, clinical, nutritional and behavioral outcomes, interventions, and appropriate follow-up for the patient. This "real world" approach helps to prepare the student for the professional setting. Objectives for student learning within each case are built around the competencies for dietetic education as specified by the American Dietetic Association. ... Read more

Book Description

This handbook teaches the fine art of history and physical examination of children. It is organized by disease and symptom, featuring a complete review of history, physical examination, and differential diagnosis for each disease. It is useful for medical students, residents, and physicians in practice. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

Moreno unmasks the evil and human cost of government secrecy
We are fortunate Jonathan Moreno did dare and took the time to write "Undue Risk." Not only does he inform, he has the courage to take a stand. A person of the caliber of David Kevles of California Institute of Technology says in his New York Times Book Review ". . . the historical record that he presents in ''Undue Risk'' strongly supports his contention that the rights of human subjects deserve to be held paramount over any needs of national security." Anyone familiar with the work of the President's Committee on Human Radiation Experiments knows it was anything but a whitewash. While flawed it is the most thorough review of documents surrounding this sad, sad chapter of our nations recent history. The experiments were outrageous attacks against human rights. I am co-founder of the Human Experiments Litigation Project which successfully filed seven suits against the experimenters. I commend Moreno for his in depth research, excellent grasp of the entire range of experiments, his concern for the sanctity of human life and ability to tell this story with a clear demarcation between fact and opinion. The more people who read this book, the more our chance as a society of remembering just a bit longer the lessons of science gone amuck.

A Short Review of Secret Experiments
Calling chemical warfare "weapons of mass destruction" is misleading since they are more limited than atomic or biological weapons. Biological weapons can turn against their users. Only atomic weapons have enormous destructive capacity (p.xv). The Advisory Committee on Human Radiation documented secret experiments on humans from WW II to the present day. Biological warfare goes back to ancient times: placing decaying bodies into a water supply or launching them into a besieged fort. There is much more known about biological and chemical weapons today than before 1992. Government secrecy is corrosive to democracy, and is a true threat to our way of life. The use of human guinea pigs shows something rotten at the heart of society's political rulers. This very readable book faces the uncomfortable reality of using humans for medical experiments.

Bacteria and chemicals are hard to control and deliver effectively but relatively cheap to produce and transport. Testing on humans has a long international history, as is hiding these facts (p.4). The Nazi doctors trial at Nuremberg set a standard for military-medical human experiments. Hundreds of other doctors were never tried. A "crime against humanity" was defined as the reckless pursuit of scientific knowledge, or sheer sadism. Experiments on humans predated the Nazis; in 1931 the powerful chemical manufacturers were caught using patients in hospitals (p.64). Then there was America's own wartime research (pp. 65-6). But America was not riddled with a hate-mongering pathology that permitted the systematic injury of certain groups of humans (p.79).

Chapter 4 tells of Nazi scientists brought to America because of their expertise. They now used American soldiers rather than concentration camp victims (p.89)! Similar experiments were done by Japanese Unit 731 (pp.103-7). Their history was kept secret to protect Army biological weapon testing at Fort Detrick, whose budget was second to the Manhattan project (p.109). The US military wanted this information on crop destruction and human experiments. A Soviet war crimes trial documented these facts (p.111-4). Germ warfare charges in Korea and China are discussed on pages 115-6.

A Short History of Secret Experiments
This very readable book faces the uncomfortable reality of using humans for medical experiments. Government secrecy is corrosive to democracy, and is a true threat to our way of life. The use of human guinea pigs shows something rotten at the heart of society's political rulers.

Chapter 5 tells about radiation experiments. There was a need to study the health risks from inhalation or ingestion to determine the toxic levels. Releasing radioactive products into the air was part of deliberate policy that occurred hundreds of times (pp.153-4). Chapter 6 tells how the Nuremberg Code was adopted for testing ABC weapons (p.166). This rule prevailed in the civilian hierarchy but lacked traction in the military medical culture (p.184); this reflected the political struggles (p.187). Chapter 7 tells of the experiments with hallucinogens as a military secret weapon during WW II (pp.190-1), and afterwards. The Blauer Case tells how state hospitals' experiments killed patients (pp.194-8)! Scanty record keeping on atomic bomb explosions was continued with Agent Orange in Vietnam (p.206). The known dangers from uranium mines were disregarded by the AEC (p.221). Uranium miners fate was to die in their forties for reasons of national security (p.226). After Nuremberg, only America among Western countries experimented on prisoners (p.230).

Chapter 8 tells of the attacks on the Nuremberg Code rules. Pages 252-3 tell why it is legal to experiment on members of the Armed Forces: the Supreme Court said so! Nerve gas experiments were suspended in 1969 (p.263). President Nixon asked for the ratification of the 1925 Geneva Accord to prohibit the first use of biological and chemical weapons. The1977 Senate hearings on the biological testing program resulted in new ethics of research for government agencies (p.265). Chapter 9 tells of the 1991 Gulf War aftermath: many veterans reported illnesses. One explanation was the drug alleged to protect our soldiers caused this problem. PB was never tested or approved, so its use was reckless and a poor experiment (p.269). Pyridostigmine bromide was never approved against chemical weapons (p.270). The FDA created an exceptional "Rule 23(d)". Did PB react with organophosphates to create harm (p.272)? The lack of records prevents any investigation. The last section on '91 Bravo' reads like a very optimistic and cheerful ending to this story.

Chilling
I used to work at an ethical review board, and I read whatever books I could find on medical research ethics. This is the most memorable one I read. It was shocking but fascinating. I would recommend this book to anyone working in clinical research or medical ethics.

Chillingly accurate with ominous implications for the future
Undue Risk is a clearly and meticulously constructed documentation of over 50 years of medical and military experiments world wide, with an emphasis on those done in the U.S. It is one of the most important books written on the subject, and it is a must read for anyone concerned about the ethics and interests of government.
Moreno limits himself to information that is documentable. He focuses on the medical community as handmaidens to the military establishment. For example, his thorough and horrific accounts of Dr. Ishii's murderous medical experiments on thousands of helpless captives during WWII in Japan, and his grim comment that despite his criminality, Dr. Ishii today enjoys high social status and wealth, partially due to intervention by the United States, are a testimony to Moreno's clear insight into the pervasive nature of intellectual greed and the grand cover-up of government when it wishes to acquire knowledge.
It is unfortunate that Moreno could not cover the misdeeds of the neuro-sciences. But with the neuro/psychopharmacological arsenal of amnesiacs, sedatives, ECT, and hypnosis it is difficult to find those survivors who can clearly articulate the tale of what was done to them in the name of science. To his credit, Moreno does refer to the CIA's MKULTRA experiments, and gives a nice insight into the LSD death of Fort Detrick's Dr. Frank Olsen, who specialized in airborne delivery of disease as a biological weapon. This book is a must read. It is aurhoritative, restrained in nature, but completely accurate. ... Read more

Book Description

Nutritional Ergogenic Aids provides an up-to-date review of what is hypothetical and what is known about nutritional ergogenic aids and dietary supplements used for enhancing physical and athletic performance. Among the 23 aids discussed are branched-chain amino acids, carnitine, creatine, glucosamine, chrondroitin sulfate, taurine, biocarbonates, and ginseng. Research conducted primarily with data available from human studies is analyzed and discussed. The book presents information and guidelines on safe use and provides a scientific basis regarding the benefits, shortcomings, and usefulness of nutritional ergogenic aids. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

For Inquiring "New Investigators" to "Seasoned Pros"
What this version lacks is poster-sized illustrations...other than that, you'll find it here. While much time is spent on in-depth detail of information and explanation ranging from historical context and relevance, to the present day continuation of many of the ancient beliefs/practices, the inquiring reader won't have to worry about "treading water" here due to the well-defined, logical layout of the work. Rather than bounce from here to there and back again, the read and "look" is more like an entertaining, well-mapped history book; great lay out, fun, and informative. ;) ... Read more

Book Description

It all seems routine. You come home from a weekend in the mountains and complain of a headache the next day. Tuesday you have a slight fever and spend the day in bed. But that night, tossing in sweaty sheets, dehydrated, wracked with spasms, you gasp for a doctor and what he prescribes may depend on how alert he has been to the work increasingly done by medical detectives.

These research scientists, laboring alone or in teams, sift through the data supplied by doctors from the front lines of disease. Their solutions are often intuitive and they rely as much on judgment as on what the test tubes show.

"Mysteries, with doctors as the sleuths -- and sometimes culprits!...highly addictive reading." (Chicago Sun-Times) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great page-turner for those interested in public health
Roueche did a fabulous job of presenting some fascinating cases of infectious disease and public health. This book is gripping enough to keep the attention of readers who already have knowledge of disease and public health, yet explains complex medical terminology simply enough that anyone should be able to enjoy this book. I highly recommend it!

Excellent book on personal hygiene and public health
Many stories in this book reminds me of the famous essay "Silent Spring". The writing style is extremely accessible to every body and yet delivers a significant amount of knowledge, advice, and sometimes wisdom. The author carefully explains medical terms and implications, thus easing the reader's mind without using a medical book. This book is highly recommended to anyone who has a curious mind.

Really fun to read
This book was so enjoyable that I had to ration it out, a chapter a day, to make it last. Otherwise I would have gone through it in a day. Each medical mystery immediately draws you in. You learn a lot, even though the writing level is entertaining and undemanding. I highly recommend this book, and plan to read other books by this author.

Medical Mysteries
This book is a collection of articles, written by Berton Rouche and published in the New Yorker, about medical investigations that took place in the US from the 1940's to late 1980's. Though this book would obviously be interesting to medical students, you don't have to understand much about medicine to enjoy it. Most of the medical terms used are either defined or explained in context, and all facts relevant to the cases are clearly stated. Each case is presented as a mystery that unfolds as the investigators search for the cause of a patient's illness. First, we are given the basic facts of the case: the patient's condition and symptoms, his or her environment and activities at the time of the onset of illness, and the investigator/doctor's initial diagnosis or impressions. Next, we are shown how an investigator makes discoveries leading to a diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we follow the health officials as they track the source of the epidemic.
Though I have no connection to the medical field, I found these articles very interesting, and I think I've learned a lot from them. However, I wish someone could have added a post-script to each of the articles with an update on some of the information. For example, one of the articles (written in 1944) said that 2% of American pigs were carriers of trichinosis. I would like to know what the statistics are now. Besides that minor complaint, I loved the book and would recommend it to any curious reader who loves to learn about new things.

Gripping articles on epidemiology and public health.
I brought a bunch of books home from my office and this was one of them. I had forgotten about it, and I have just read it again. Roueche was an excellent journalist writing for the New Yorker. He wrote about public health starting way back in 1944. This book is fascinating for several reasons. Not only is it a good explanation of what epidemiologists do for a living (the ones who don't deal with Level 4 viruses but the everyday disasters that still happen), but it is also a great history of public health in the U.S. Roueche was not a disaster monger. Rather he wrote about the men and women who literally had to hunt down clues about diseases, food-borne pathogens, stupid things parents did that led to the development of child safe medicine containers, etc. Some of these men and women put their lives on the line, and continue to do so when there are outbreaks of emerging diseases like Hantavirus in the Four Corners region, dealing with increasing cases of food poisoning, and now with the problems with prions (mad cow disease). He wrote in such a way to give us history and details that many other writers of health history often leave out. The information concerning the increasing amount of rabies being seen in the U.S. was news to me...I always thought it was native to this country, but apparently before the 1950's it was rarely seen. The chapter on aspirin, gave wonderful historical background, and brought attention to the need to make children understand that any medicine, whether flavored or not, is not candy. This book is a good recommendation for students in med school, for those who are interested in public health, and I think for high school science students to see the practical application of what they learn. I am going to go look for more writings of his...they are too enjoyable to miss! Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh ... Read more

Book Description

Achieving the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection: A Stress Management Workbook is a self-help workbook for individuals seeking guidance in managing personal stress. It contains a combination of insightful content and original self-assessment exercises with the overall purpose of creating a sound and successful stress management program.Features of this workbook include Brian Luke Seaward’s unique holistic perspective on uniting mind, body, spirit and emotions and a writing style acclaimed for being very user friendly, often described as if one is having a conversation with the author.

The association between stress and disease is well documented, from the common cold to cancer. However stress also distorts decision making, disrupts emotional thought processing and compromises the health of the human spirit. Good stress management is nothing more than common sense, but in a fast paced, fragmented society, good sense is anything but common. Achieving the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection serves as a wonderful reminder of what we know at the deepest level of our being: Optimal health requires the integration, balance and harmony of mind, body, spirit and emotions. Drawing upon the disciplines of psychology, physiology, sociology, theology, anthropology, mythology and quantum physics, Dr. Seaward blends the proven tenets of ageless wisdom with a score of practical ideas, suggestions and exercises to help you truly achieve harmony between mind, body, spirit and emotions. From comic relief and hatha yoga to guided mental imagery and music therapy, this workbook contains over 70 exercises which serve to integrate mind, body and spirit as one dynamic force that can withstand the pressures of whatever stress may come your way. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"the book" on exercise physiology
I am a Personal Training manager with a Physical Education undergraduate degree and Health Preservation and Rehabilitation graduate degree.
I consider that the science of exercise physiology should constitute the basic knowledge for anybody who wants to understands the way the human body functionates and acutely and chronicaly adapts to the exercise stimuli.
No matter you are(or preparing to become) a PE teacher, sport medicine specialist, personal trainer, physical therapist,athletic coach,etc, you should understand the science of exercise physiology.
Dr. McArdle's " Exercise physiology" is definetely one of the most complete books ever writen on the subject. With miriads of grafics and pictures, and tons of scientific research descriptions and results, the book is quite pleasing to read and very convincing.
With more than 1000 pages, definetelly worths its price and even more. Contains as much information as you could find in 3-4 good scientific books and much more than the complete colection of "Muscle and Fitness" starting from 1970.
You can find detailed informations together with all the book ilustrations and even 4 complete chapters at: www.connection.LWW.com/go/mcardle

Filled to the Rim with Good Science
As a physical therapist/exercise trainer I'm constantly bombarded with books on exercise. This textbook addresses much of what an exercise physiologist knows with solid science, clearly written, enlivened with quiet good humor as evidenced by appealing asides. "The lungs of an average-sized person would cover a surface of 60 to 80 square meters," the authors tell us, which is what you'd expect from a textbook. Then they go on to note this area would be sufficient to cover "almost half a tennis court or an entire badminton court!" giving us not one but two vivid analogies to make the information more memorable. This largess speaks of authors who are not just able scientists, but apt teachers. This generosity extends to the wonderful illustrations (although some of them abound in a somewhat distracting rainbow of superfluous background colors). The common sense discussion of many popular fitness subjects, from exercise selection to steroids to nutrition, make it not just a classic text but good reading for any consumer reeling from the latest fitness marketing.

Knowhow behind fitness
This book is a great help in understanding what is happening within the body conerning sports training and nutrition. It is based on uncountable research studies and presented in a very readable form with ample graphics illustrations. The book helped me not only to understand more, but also to improve fitness and even loose some weight. It goes very far beyond compared to what one gets told in fitness centers. The main approach of the book is based on energy considerations. Understanding how the body handles energy makes it possible to describe the effects of exercising and performance much more deeply. I would recommend this book to every exerciser, who likes to improve physically and understand background matters. Basically, it's a textbook for sports students. But people outside, like myself, can greatly benefit from it, as well.

NBAF 'very best' - must have
If you only own 1 book it should be this one (excellent reference for 'Flame Wars'). A good physiology book is a must if you wish to be 'educated' on exercise and nutrition. Understanding how and why the human body works is very important if you plan to train others or be your best. If you buy 1000 bodybuilding, fitness and health newsstand magazines they will still not contain the information you will find in one good human physiology book, and this is one of the very best. If you want to be able to hold intelligent conversations on the internet than you should have several books on physiology - I can't stress this enough. Learn about the food we eat and what happens to it after it's eaten. Learn all the reactions in the body, when and why they take place and how they effect your training, learn what makes muscle grow. If you want real facts get any good physiology book. Knowledge is power - learn the truth - you will find the real secrets in a good physiology book. In general these books are expensive, but worth it. You might also check for used copies at college bookstores, medical institutions or used book sales. NBAF 'very best'. ... Read more

Book Description

Biotechnology, one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of science, is a complex combination of scientific disciplines beset by jargon and buzz words. Now fully updated to incorporate the most current terminology, this second edition of Biotechnology From A to Z offers an illuminating and practical introduction to the ideas of biotechnology. Starting from ADEPT (antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy) and finishing with zoonosis (infection by an organism that usually infects other species), and describing artificial tissues, extremophiles, nutraceuticals, prosthetics, and xenografts among many other topics along the way, this book provides a concise and readable overview of the field. Straightforward language and concrete examples are used to unravel the jargon for the non-specialist. This book is an essential, accessible guide to the science, the technology, and the real achievements of this fascinating and controversial industry. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Biotechnology from A to Z
Biotechnology from A to Z, 2nd edition, by W. Bains With the current explosion of interest in biotechnology and the application of the basic techniques of genetic engineering to medicine, agriculture, forensics, environment, it is becoming increasingly difficult for any one person to stay abreast of all the applications. A handbook such as Bains' is invaluable in cutting straight to the point and providing the appropriate jargon for the particular discipline. Scientists, science writers, environmental activists, everyone will find this book an invaluable reference source. My favorite few pages go from Affinity Tag, Ageing, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, AIDS, to Airlift fermentor. All the entries are explained in clear concise English, with the just the right amount of cross-entries. As is appropriate for a biotechnology book, there are frequent practical examples. There is a good index and a list of books for further reading. It's a shame OUP couldn't have kept the internet address stable. This book is a definite good buy.

Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Bilkent University, Bilkent 06533, Ankara, Turkey ... Read more

Book Description

Fifty years before Resident Life became a reality television show on The Learning Channel, Clifton Meador lived, breathed, and sometimes slept the life of a med student at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Meador recalls those days in a fascinating and entertaining memoir, packed with stories, vignettes, and experiences that capture a time and place gone by. Med School celebrates the joy of learning, the excitement of medical discovery, and the adverture of caring for patients in a setting that helped shape modern medicine. While Med School will resonate with medical practitioners, its sheer charm will appeal to anyone who enjoys a wonderfully told story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Med School Tells it Like it Was
I love this little book. Of course the fact that I was in med school in Birmingham, AL about the same time author Meador was in med school in Nashville, TN, probably has a lot to do with that. Although some of the content is historical, and some frankly hysterically funny, this is how the American doctors of the past 50 years were trained. It behooves patients to try to understand this as they work on their own patient-physician relationships. Yes, medicine has changed a lot, but Meador's tales suggest that med school, in essence, may not have changed much. We have published an excerpt chapter of Med School at www.medscape.com/viewarticle/473668, if the Amazon reader wants to taste before buying.

Superb Insight into Life and Education of a Medical Student
In reading this enthralling book, one is taken step by step through the education and life of a medical student and young doctor. You will laugh and you will cry. This is an exciting and entertaining memoir. It is filled with true stories, vignettes and experiences that will make you understand how doctors are created and why they are like they are. He pays tribute to his patients, as well as, his professors as eminent teachers. Dr. Meador's compassion and extraordinary sense of humor combine to give him an inimitable voice...one that leads you rapidly through the book... When you finish you wish it had not ended so soon..... ... Read more

Book Description

This text for students and researchers, takes an interdisciplinary approach to describing the chemistry and physics of materials, their biocompatibility, and the consequences of implantation of devices made of these materials into the human body. The reader is introduced to the principles of polymer science and the study of metals, ceramics and composites, and also to the basic biology required to understand the nature of the host-transplant interface.

Topics covered in this book include the macromolecular components of cells and tissues, self-assembly processes, biological cascade systems, microscopic structure of cells and tissues, immunology, transplantation biology, and the pathobiology of wound healing. Topics covered in the materials science chapters include the structures and properties of polymers, metals, ceramics and composites, and the processes for forming materials as well as the pathobiology of devices. The final two chapters deal with tissue engineering and the relations between the biology of cells and tissue transplantation, and the engineering of tissue replacements using passaged cells. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wasted opportunity...
Very little biomaterials science involved at all. Previous text by Silver was a far better primer for biomaterials science. A disapointment. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

What a great book!
This is the definitive book on feng shue! It is not for people who are looking for fluff - this is serious, and well thought out. It has really worked to get me to focus on the important things in life and has helped in explaining the balance that we all need to have. I am now giving this book as a gift to people I care about! Thank you, Ms. Reichstein, for writing such a wonderful book.

You will be amazed !
We all love now to take care of our own health, right ?! Few of us understand, though, the Chinese medicine, unless you read a lot of books on same subject. And then you have to "digest" the information and apply it patiently to yourself. WE ALL ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS. And the ones who will borrow or buy this book will prove to be the smart ones too. Not only that I would recommend this book to all of you who want to change your life for the better (and get rid of your daily pains) but this book --among the thousands written -- is an eye-opener to many other self-healing directions. Beware, at first you will say to yourself that you will need TIME and PATIENCE to go through it (which none of us HAVE anymore!), but you will feel smarter than any doctor in this world, after you assimilate the knowledge in this book. It is better than you imagined by its modest title. One of the best-kept secrets (until now !), trust me on this one. Good luck to all of you !

really helpful book for life
I found this book great for explaining the cycles of life in a clear manner. I think about the book often since i've read it and find it helps me understand where i am. ... Read more