The Masters of Medicine
Our Greatest Triumphs in the Race to Cure Humanity's Deadliest Diseases
by Andrew Lam
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Pub Date Apr 18 2023 | Archive Date May 02 2023
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Description
Human history hinges on the battle to confront our most dangerous enemies—the half-dozen diseases responsible for killing almost all of mankind. And while the story of our triumphs over these afflictions reveals an inspiring tapestry of human achievement, the journey was far from smooth.
In The Masters of Medicine, Dr. Andrew Lam distills the long arc of medical progress down to the crucial moments that were responsible for the world’s greatest medical miracles.
Discover fascinating true stories of scientists and doctors throughout history, including:
- Rival surgeons who killed patient after patient in their race to operate on beating hearts—and put us on the path toward the heart transplant
- A quartet of Canadians whose miraculous discovery of insulin was marred by jealousy and resentment
- The doctors who discovered penicillin, but were robbed of the credit
- The feud between two Americans in the quest for the polio vaccine
- A New York surgeon whose “heretical” idea to cure patients by deliberately infecting them has now inspired our next-best hope to defeat cancer
- A Hungarian doctor who solved the greatest mystery of maternal deaths in childbirth, only to be ostracized for his discovery
The Masters of Medicine is a fascinating chronicle of human courage, audacity, error, and luck. This riveting ode to mankind reveals why the past is prelude to the game-changing breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Featured Reviews
Stephen G, Reviewer
I loved this book. I found the stories compelling and the tone conversational. I liked that the book looked at only a few areas but covered them thoroughly. Everything was very well explained, with case studies adding even more clarity. But the book is not a paean to the people who made these discoveries. The book is very good at showing the dark side of these masters. All this made the book genuinely hard to put down. I think that this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of medicine. Thank you to Netgalley and BenBella Books for the digital review copy.
Emily H, Reviewer
Andrew Lam does a deep dive into seven fields of medicine: Heart Disease, Diabetes, Bacterial Infection, Viral Infection, Cancer, Trauma, and Childbirth. In each section, anecdotal histories are shared and then initial discoveries ("mavericks") and a timeline of happenings, which includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. I appreciate the candor of the research told. Lam doesn't hesitate to share the dark side of medical innovations while on a path to true treatments and prevention.
This book is suitable for anyone who wishes to learn about the human history in these fields, in addition to the scientific facts.
Thank you to #Netgalley for the ARC ebook.
Reviewer 725763
This fascinating book explores some of history's greatest medical breakthroughs. These inspiring true stories show how courage, error, and pure luck have advanced medical science. The author's engaging style draws the reader into a narrative that entertains and informs. Recommended for anyone interested in the history of medicine and where it might lead us next.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
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