A Brief History of Disease, Science and Medicine: From the Ice Age to the Genome Project - Softcover

Kennedy MD, Michael T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0974946656 ISBN 13: 9780974946658

Publisher: Asklepiad Press, 2009

Synopsis

This introduction to the history of medicine begins with the evolution of infectious diseases at the end of the last ice age. It describes the origin of science and medicine in ancient civilizations, including China and India. The first third of the book covers the early period that is considered the "classical" history of medicine. The remainder describes the evolution of modern medicine and surgery up to the present. The final chapter is a history of medical economics and explains the origin of health insurance, HMOs and medical malpractice lawsuits, subjects explained nowhere else in the medical school curriculum. There is a 40 page index and over 550 footnotes, most of them references to the original articles described in the text. A bibliography of essential sources is also included.

About this title

About the Author:

The author is a retired surgeon who has taught interns, residents and medical students for 30 years. He now teaches first and second year students at the University of Southern California in a program called "Introduction to Clinical Medicine." The book developed from a series of lectures prepared by the author at the request of students. Medical history, which was once an integral part of the curriculum, is no longer taught in many medical schools.

Review:

"Although it is written primarily for an American audience, we could all learn from it. A unique book." -- Dr. JMT Ford, President of the Faculty, Diploma Course in the History of Medicine, Society of Apothecaries of London.

"Made me nostalgic for medical school...I very much enjoyed it and was reminded of things I once learned.." -- Sally Satel MD, Author of "PC MD. How Political Correctness is Corrupting Medicine"

"More than three decades of surgical practice and teaching are embedded in this wide-ranging book of historical reflections." -- C. Rollins Hanlon MD FACS, President of the American College of Surgeons 1969-86

About this edition

• Publisher: Asklepiad Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0974946656
• ISBN 13: 9780974946658
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 528