The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine

by James Le Fanu

Book Overview

This penetrating study of medicine in our times addresses one of its most baffling paradoxes as it explores the widening gulf between achievement and advancement. Dr. Le Fanu takes a clear-sighted... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316648361
• ISBN13: 9780316648363
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating read, interesting hypothesis

A must read for anyone blinded by medicine's apparent glory and victories over human disease. This book exposes the past in which medicine's landmark discoveries/ events are shown to be mostly a combination of chance, persistance, mindless trial and error or even freak accident. From modern medicines illustrious history '10 definitive moments' have been selected by the author to illustrate the events that have led to the glorified status that medicine holds in our western society. Beginning with Penicillin in 1941 and ending with the discovery of Helicobacter, the cause of peptic ulcers, in 1984. These accounts make any reader wide-eyed at the simplicity of some of the research designs and truck loads of luck involved in the discoveries. This portion of the novel is full of interesting facts concerning the '10 definitive moments' written in rich narrative rather than a more conventional dry historical account to keep any reader glued to his lazy chair.The next portion of the book is an elaborate argument for his hypothesis; that medicine has long ago reached it epiphany and is currently in the decent phase, "The Fall". He gives convincing arguments for his opinion which makes a reader think about it even if one isn't totally convinced.The Title, "The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine" caught my attention and once I opened the book the words trapped me until the last page was turned. Even after closing the book I considered his hypothesis and reflected on it, which has spawned me to follow up on some of his references and read some of them. In my opinion any book that causes such a fury of reading, thought, and reference checking and further reading is worth a look by any casually interested reader.

Important for any serious medical collection

Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine provides an important survey of the major breakthroughs in modern medicine from 1945 to the 1970s, outlining medical process and barriers to achieving goals. From major battles won against illness and treatments of chronic diseases to medicine's battle against political and social barriers to research, this provides an essential history important for any serious medical collection.

Everything you know is wrong...

Very rarely, I come across a book so enjoyable that I have to put everything else on hold until I finish reading it. This is one of those books. It combines fanscinating information, intriguing analysis, and a thoroughly enjoyable writing style.The book is divided into two major sections: an extended prologue, and the book proper. The prologue is nearly half of the book, and it describes twelve definitive moments in medicine in the past 50 years. This section is informative and enjoyable, and the book is worth reading for this part alone.The second section is even better. Le Fanu believes that medicine experienced its Golden Age during the fifties and sixties, and is now in decline. He provides compelling evidence in support of this claim, and his discussions on the false hopes brought about by genetics, and the falsity of the Social Theory (the theory that most of our health problems are caused by environmental factors) are great, and probably largely correct.This is a book that I would recommend to anyone. It is easy enough for the layman to understand, and I think that those in the medical profession will get a lot out of it, whether they agree with the author or not. READ THIS BOOK!!!

SIMPLY SUPERB

This book has greatly enlightened me to the history of medicine and to the greatest advances in medicine. I myself am a student about to go to university and I would thoroughly recommened this book to any up and coming doctor/ dentist/ scientist involved in medicine. A great read.