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The Holy Grail of Medicine: Unlocking the Secrets to Curing Incurable Diseases
Introduction:
For centuries, humanity has dreamt of a "holy grail" – a solution to seemingly insurmountable problems. In the realm of medicine, this grail represents the ultimate cure: a universal panacea capable of eradicating diseases that currently defy treatment. While a single, all-encompassing cure remains elusive, the relentless pursuit of medical breakthroughs has brought us closer than ever to achieving this dream. This comprehensive guide delves into the multifaceted quest for the holy grail of medicine, exploring cutting-edge research, emerging technologies, and the ethical considerations that shape this vital field. We will examine the potential of gene editing, personalized medicine, and artificial intelligence, while acknowledging the challenges and limitations that still lie ahead. Prepare to embark on a journey into the future of healthcare, where the line between science fiction and reality blurs with each groundbreaking discovery.
1. The Evolving Definition of "Incurable": Shifting Sands of Medical Progress
The term "incurable" itself is a dynamic concept. What was considered incurable just decades ago – polio, for example – is now largely preventable and manageable. This shift underscores the remarkable progress in medical science. However, diseases like Alzheimer's, certain cancers, and HIV/AIDS remain significant challenges, pushing the boundaries of our understanding and demanding innovative solutions. This section explores how our definition of "incurable" changes with advancements in medical technology and research methodologies. We'll look at historical examples and how our understanding of disease pathogenesis has impacted treatment strategies.
2. Gene Editing: CRISPR and the Promise of Precision Medicine
The development of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has revolutionized the field of genetic engineering. This powerful tool allows scientists to precisely target and modify DNA sequences, opening up unprecedented possibilities for treating genetic diseases. This section delves into the mechanisms of CRISPR, its applications in treating inherited disorders like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, and the ongoing ethical debates surrounding its use in germline editing. We will also examine the potential for off-target effects and the need for rigorous safety testing.
3. Personalized Medicine: Tailoring Treatments to Individual Needs
The "one-size-fits-all" approach to medicine is increasingly being replaced by personalized medicine, which tailors treatments to the individual's unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors. This section explores how genomic sequencing, pharmacogenomics (the study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs), and proteomics (the study of proteins) are transforming healthcare. We’ll discuss the challenges of implementing personalized medicine on a large scale, including data privacy concerns and the need for affordable and accessible genomic testing.
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Drug Discovery and Diagnostics
AI is rapidly transforming various aspects of medicine, from drug discovery to disease diagnosis. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast datasets to identify potential drug candidates, predict treatment responses, and even detect diseases at their earliest stages. This section explores the role of AI in accelerating the drug development process, improving diagnostic accuracy, and personalizing healthcare delivery. We'll discuss the limitations of AI, including the need for high-quality data and the potential for biases in algorithms.
5. Regenerative Medicine: Repairing and Replacing Damaged Tissues and Organs
Regenerative medicine holds immense promise for treating a wide range of diseases and injuries. This field focuses on repairing or replacing damaged tissues and organs using stem cells, tissue engineering, and other advanced techniques. This section examines the potential of stem cell therapy for treating conditions like spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, and heart failure. We'll also discuss the challenges of ensuring the safety and efficacy of regenerative therapies.
6. The Role of Big Data and Data Analytics in Medical Research
The exponential growth of medical data presents both opportunities and challenges. This section explores how big data analytics can be used to identify patterns and trends in disease development, improve diagnostic accuracy, and accelerate the development of new treatments. We'll discuss the importance of data security, privacy, and the ethical implications of using large-scale datasets in medical research.
7. Overcoming Challenges: Funding, Access, and Ethical Considerations
The pursuit of the holy grail of medicine faces significant challenges, including securing adequate funding for research, ensuring equitable access to new treatments, and addressing the ethical implications of cutting-edge technologies. This section explores these critical issues and discusses the importance of responsible innovation and global collaboration in advancing medical progress.
8. The Future of Medicine: A Glimpse into Tomorrow's Healthcare Landscape
The quest for the holy grail of medicine continues, driven by scientific curiosity and the unwavering commitment to improving human health. This section offers a glimpse into the future of healthcare, exploring emerging technologies and potential breakthroughs that could revolutionize disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Book Outline: "The Quest for the Holy Grail of Medicine"
Author: Dr. Evelyn Reed
Introduction: Defining the "holy grail" in medicine, outlining the scope of the book.
Chapter 1: Historical Context: Examining past "incurable" diseases and the evolution of medical understanding.
Chapter 2: Gene Editing Technologies: A deep dive into CRISPR and other gene editing tools.
Chapter 3: Personalized Medicine: Tailoring treatment based on individual genetic profiles.
Chapter 4: AI and Machine Learning in Medicine: Applications in drug discovery and diagnostics.
Chapter 5: Regenerative Medicine: The potential of stem cells and tissue engineering.
Chapter 6: Big Data and Medical Research: Unlocking insights from large datasets.
Chapter 7: Ethical Considerations and Societal Impact: Addressing the challenges of responsible innovation.
Chapter 8: The Future of Healthcare: Forecasting advancements in medicine and technology.
Conclusion: Reflecting on the ongoing quest and the future of medical breakthroughs.
(The following sections would expand on each chapter outlined above, mirroring the content already discussed in the blog post.)
FAQs
1. What is the "holy grail" of medicine? It represents the ultimate cure for currently incurable diseases, a universal panacea. While a single cure is unlikely, it symbolizes the pursuit of groundbreaking advancements.
2. How does CRISPR work in gene editing? CRISPR-Cas9 utilizes a guide RNA molecule to target specific DNA sequences, allowing for precise edits to the genome.
3. What are the ethical concerns surrounding gene editing? Concerns include off-target effects, germline editing implications, accessibility, and equitable distribution of therapies.
4. How can AI improve medical diagnosis? AI algorithms can analyze medical images, patient data, and genetic information to improve diagnostic accuracy and speed.
5. What is the potential of regenerative medicine? It aims to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs using stem cells and tissue engineering, offering cures for various conditions.
6. How is big data used in medical research? Big data analytics helps identify patterns, improve diagnostics, and accelerate drug development through the analysis of massive datasets.
7. What are the challenges in accessing personalized medicine? Cost, data privacy concerns, and the need for widespread genomic testing pose major accessibility challenges.
8. What role does funding play in medical research? Sufficient funding is crucial for conducting research, developing new technologies, and translating research into effective therapies.
9. What does the future hold for medicine? Continued advancements in gene editing, AI, regenerative medicine, and data analytics promise revolutionary changes in disease prevention and treatment.
Related Articles:
1. The Ethics of CRISPR Gene Editing: Examines the moral and societal implications of gene editing technologies.
2. Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Diagnosis: Focuses on the use of AI in detecting and treating cancer.
3. Stem Cell Therapy: A Revolution in Regenerative Medicine: Explores the applications and limitations of stem cell therapy.
4. Personalized Medicine: The Future of Healthcare: Discusses the benefits and challenges of personalized medicine.
5. Big Data and the Rise of Precision Oncology: Analyzes how big data is used in cancer research and treatment.
6. The Impact of AI on Drug Discovery: Explores the role of AI in accelerating the process of drug development.
7. Overcoming Barriers to Access in Healthcare: Addresses issues of affordability, equity, and accessibility in healthcare.
8. The Future of Healthcare: Predictions and Possibilities: Presents various futuristic perspectives on healthcare trends.
9. Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering: Repairing the Body: Focuses on the technological advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
| holy grail of medicine: Pot Doc Michael Geci, 2020-06-09 Pot Doc details Dr. Michael Geci's journey through the murky world of medical marijuana during the infancy of Montana's marijuana boom in 2009 and its improbable and bizarre implosion just a few years later. Join Dr. Geci as he develops a relationship with the most remarkable and misunderstood plant on the planet--witnessing many of its wonderful attributes and cringing at some of the darker energies associated with the plant. Pot Doc draws clear distinctions between medical marijuana and recreational pot, highlighting the fascinating science surrounding the Cannabis plant, along its medical applications and contraindications. Pot Doc questions the United States' absurd and antiquated policies toward marijuana and its cousin, hemp, and advocates for patients' rights to use natural medicine without the fear of legal reprisal. |
| holy grail of medicine: Schübel's Holy Grail of Business Frank J. Hahn, Judd Nogrady, Liam P. Schubel, 2018-12-19 This book will help Chiropractors, Chiropractic students and anyone that provides Chiropractic service to the public. The information in this book provides tips, tools and strategies that promote ethical, reliable proven business systems. |
| holy grail of medicine: Empire of Pain Patrick Radden Keefe, 2021-04-13 A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by OxyContin, by the prize-winning, bestselling author of Say Nothing The Sackler name adorns the walls of many storied institutions—Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford, the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations to the arts and the sciences. The source of the family fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing a blockbuster painkiller that was the catalyst for the opioid crisis. Empire of Pain begins with the story of three doctor brothers, Raymond, Mortimer and the incalculably energetic Arthur, who weathered the poverty of the Great Depression and appalling anti-Semitism. Working at a barbaric mental institution, Arthur saw a better way and conducted groundbreaking research into drug treatments. He also had a genius for marketing, especially for pharmaceuticals, and bought a small ad firm. Arthur devised the marketing for Valium, and built the first great Sackler fortune. He purchased a drug manufacturer, Purdue Frederick, which would be run by Raymond and Mortimer. The brothers began collecting art, and wives, and grand residences in exotic locales. Their children and grandchildren grew up in luxury. Forty years later, Raymond’s son Richard ran the family-owned Purdue. The template Arthur Sackler created to sell Valium—co-opting doctors, influencing the FDA, downplaying the drug’s addictiveness—was employed to launch a far more potent product: OxyContin. The drug went on to generate some thirty-five billion dollars in revenue, and to launch a public health crisis in which hundreds of thousands would die. This is the saga of three generations of a single family and the mark they would leave on the world, a tale that moves from the bustling streets of early twentieth-century Brooklyn to the seaside palaces of Greenwich, Connecticut, and Cap d’Antibes to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. Empire of Pain chronicles the multiple investigations of the Sacklers and their company, and the scorched-earth legal tactics that the family has used to evade accountability. The history of the Sackler dynasty is rife with drama—baroque personal lives; bitter disputes over estates; fistfights in boardrooms; glittering art collections; Machiavellian courtroom maneuvers; and the calculated use of money to burnish reputations and crush the less powerful. Empire of Pain is a masterpiece of narrative reporting and writing, exhaustively documented and ferociously compelling. It is a portrait of the excesses of America’s second Gilded Age, a study of impunity among the super elite and a relentless investigation of the naked greed and indifference to human suffering that built one of the world’s great fortunes. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Road from Nanomedicine to Precision Medicine Shaker A. Mousa, Raj Bawa, Gerald F. Audette, 2020-01-17 The enormous advances in nanomedicine and precision medicine in the past two decades necessitated this comprehensive reference, which can be relied upon by researchers, clinicians, pharmaceutical scientists, regulators, policymakers, and lawyers alike. This standalone, full-color resource broadly surveys innovative technologies and advances pertaining to nanomedicine and precision medicine. In addition, it addresses often-neglected yet crucial areas such as translational medicine, intellectual property law, ethics, policy, FDA regulatory issues, nano-nomenclature, and artificial nano-machines—all accomplished in a user-friendly, broad yet interconnected format. The book is essential reading for the novice and the expert alike in diverse fields such as medicine, law, pharmacy, genomics, biomedical sciences, ethics, and regulatory science. The book’s multidisciplinary approach will attract a global audience and serve as a valuable reference resource for industry, academia, and government. |
| holy grail of medicine: Pocket Medicine Marc S. Sabatine, 2013-10-06 Prepared by residents and attending physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, this pocket-sized looseleaf is one of the best-selling references for medical students, interns, and residents on the wards and candidates reviewing for internal medicine board exams. In bulleted lists, tables, and algorithms, Pocket Medicine provides key clinical information about common problems in internal medicine, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, nephrology, hematology-oncology, infectious diseases, endocrinology, and rheumatology. This Fifth Edition is fully updated and includes a sixteen-page color insert with key and classic abnormal images. If you purchased a copy of Sabatine: Pocket Medicine 5e, ISBN 978-1-4511-8237-8, please make note of the following important correction on page 1-36: Oral anticoagulation ( Chest 2012;141: e531S; EHJ 2012;33:2719; Circ 2013;127:1916)- All valvular AF as stroke risk very high- Nonvalv. AF: stroke risk 4.5%/y; anticoag (R) 68% ̄ stroke; use a risk score to guide Rx: CHADS2: CHF (1 point), HTN (1), A ge >= 75 y (1), DM (1), prior Stroke/TIA (2)CHA2DS2-VASc: adds 65-74 y (1) >=75 y (2), vasc dis. [MI, Ao plaque, or PAD (1)]; ? (1)score 32 (R) anticoag; score 1 (R) consider anticoag or ASA (? latter reasonable if risk factor age 65-74 y, vasc dis. or ?); antithrombotic Rx even if rhythm control [SCORE CORRECTED]- Rx options: factor Xa or direct thrombin inhib (non-valv only; no monitoring required) or warfarin (INR 2-3; w/ UFH bridge if high risk of stroke); if Pt refuses anticoag, considerASA + clopi or, even less effective, ASA alone ( NEJM 2009;360:2066)Please make note of this correction in your copy of Sabatine: Pocket Medicine 5e immediately and contact LWW's Customer Service Department at 1.800.638.3030 or 1.301.223.2300 so that you may be issued a corrected page 1-36. You may also download a PDF of page 1-36 by clicking HERE. All copies of Pocket Medicine, 5e with the ISBN: 978-1-4511-9378-7 include this correction. |
| holy grail of medicine: Deep Medicine Eric Topol, 2019-03-12 A Science Friday pick for book of the year, 2019 One of America's top doctors reveals how AI will empower physicians and revolutionize patient care Medicine has become inhuman, to disastrous effect. The doctor-patient relationship--the heart of medicine--is broken: doctors are too distracted and overwhelmed to truly connect with their patients, and medical errors and misdiagnoses abound. In Deep Medicine, leading physician Eric Topol reveals how artificial intelligence can help. AI has the potential to transform everything doctors do, from notetaking and medical scans to diagnosis and treatment, greatly cutting down the cost of medicine and reducing human mortality. By freeing physicians from the tasks that interfere with human connection, AI will create space for the real healing that takes place between a doctor who can listen and a patient who needs to be heard. Innovative, provocative, and hopeful, Deep Medicine shows us how the awesome power of AI can make medicine better, for all the humans involved. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Red Book Carl G. Jung, 2012-12-17 In 'The Red Book', compiled between 1914 and 1930, Jung develops his principal theories of archetypes, the collective unconscious & the process of individuation. |
| holy grail of medicine: Integration of Omics Approaches and Systems Biology for Clinical Applications Antonia Vlahou, Fulvio Magni, Harald Mischak, Jerome Zoidakis, 2018-02-21 Introduces readers to the state of the art of omics platforms and all aspects of omics approaches for clinical applications This book presents different high throughput omics platforms used to analyze tissue, plasma, and urine. The reader is introduced to state of the art analytical approaches (sample preparation and instrumentation) related to proteomics, peptidomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. In addition, the book highlights innovative approaches using bioinformatics, urine miRNAs, and MALDI tissue imaging in the context of clinical applications. Particular emphasis is put on integration of data generated from these different platforms in order to uncover the molecular landscape of diseases. The relevance of each approach to the clinical setting is explained and future applications for patient monitoring or treatment are discussed. Integration of omics Approaches and Systems Biology for Clinical Applications presents an overview of state of the art omics techniques. These methods are employed in order to obtain the comprehensive molecular profile of biological specimens. In addition, computational tools are used for organizing and integrating these multi-source data towards developing molecular models that reflect the pathophysiology of diseases. Investigation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and bladder cancer are used as test cases. These represent multi-factorial, highly heterogeneous diseases, and are among the most significant health issues in developed countries with a rapidly aging population. The book presents novel insights on CKD and bladder cancer obtained by omics data integration as an example of the application of systems biology in the clinical setting. Describes a range of state of the art omics analytical platforms Covers all aspects of the systems biology approach—from sample preparation to data integration and bioinformatics analysis Contains specific examples of omics methods applied in the investigation of human diseases (Chronic Kidney Disease, Bladder Cancer) Integration of omics Approaches and Systems Biology for Clinical Applications will appeal to a wide spectrum of scientists including biologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, biophysicists, and bioinformaticians working on the different molecular platforms. It is also an excellent text for students interested in these fields. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Science of Planetary Signatures in Medicine Jennifer T. Gehl, 2017-01-27 A comprehensive guide to the cosmic influences that underlie health and how to apply them for profound health and healing • Examines how ancient and modern traditions of healing interconnect through the doctrine of signatures, “As above, so below” • Reveals how one’s astrological chart has implications for personal health and healing • Explains how each sign of the zodiac corresponds not only to parts of the body and its chakras but also to specific plants, herbs, colors, and emotions • Explores how to use sound healing to harmonize astrological imbalances When we look at the vast and intricate cosmos--galaxies, planets, organisms, organs, cells, molecules, atoms--there is a fundamental order, a music or harmony of the spheres. Our cells reflect the images of galaxies seen through our telescopes. We are the microcosm, reflecting the macrocosm of the heavens. Our ancestors understood these patterns and connections between humanity and the universe and developed spiritual and healing traditions in line with these cosmic truths. Yet in the 19th century, knowledge of these connections was set aside as medical science sought to create the “one size fits all” approaches to healing that dominate modern medicine today. In this comprehensive exploration of the celestial influences that underlie health and healing, Jennifer Gehl, with Marc Micozzi, examines how ancient and modern traditions of healing interconnect through the doctrine of signatures, “As above, so below”. She reveals how one’s celestial nature--the arrangement of the cosmos at the moment of birth--has implications for personal health and how each sign of the zodiac corresponds to parts of the body, the chakras, and specific plants, herbs, colors, and emotions. She explains how sound re-arranges forms according to the principles of harmony, leveraging not only the human self-regulating capacity to restore health but also that of the Earth to restore balance and harmony. Also explored are the recurrence of geometric forms in nature and how to apply this knowledge in sound healing and medical astrology. Weaving together the threads of ancient science and spirit that formed the original tapestry of medicine, Gehl explains how to restore the cosmic foundations of healing for personal, planetary, and universal health and wellbeing. |
| holy grail of medicine: Textbook of Onco-Anesthesiology Rakesh Garg, Sushma Bhatnagar, 2021-05-09 This book covers all essential evidence on perioperative care and anesthetic concerns for cancer surgeries, including the evaluation and assessment of patients’ schedule for cancer surgeries, perioperative anesthetic management of various cancers, perioperative analgesia for cancer surgeries, and issues related to inoperable cancers. It reviews anesthetic considerations of all cancer types as there is a wide variation in anesthetic requirements in this subset of patients. Cancer surgeries are on the rise worldwide and healthcare facilities with cancer as a core specialty are emerging quickly around the globe. As cancer is on rise and efficient surgical management is available, more and more patients are being treated surgically. However, cancer surgeries are complicated, have varied concerns and these are not covered sufficiently in presently available textbooks of anesthesiology. This book fulfills the growing need for complete and comprehensive textbook of onco-anesthesia and fills the gap in the current texts that do not exclusively cover anesthesia for cancer surgeries. This textbook serves as a comprehensive but quick guide for trainee residents/fellows and practicing anesthesiologists, clinicians and surgeons. |
| holy grail of medicine: Mind Over Medicine Lissa Rankin, M.D., 2013-05-07 We’ve been led to believe that when we get sick, it’s our genetics. Or it’s just bad luck—and doctors alone hold the keys to optimal health. For years, Lissa Rankin, M.D., believed the same. But when her own health started to suffer, and she turned to Western medical treatments, she found that they not only failed to help; they made her worse. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. Through her research, Dr. Rankin discovered that the health care she had been taught to practice was missing something crucial: a recognition of the body’s innate ability to self-repair and an appreciation for how we can control these self-healing mechanisms with the power of the mind. In an attempt to better understand this phenomenon, she explored peer-reviewed medical literature and found evidence that the medical establishment had been proving that the body can heal itself for over 50 years. Using extraordinary cases of spontaneous healing, Dr. Rankin shows how thoughts, feelings, and beliefs can alter the body’s physiology. She lays out the scientific data proving that loneliness, pessimism, depression, fear, and anxiety damage the body, while intimate relationships, gratitude, meditation, sex, and authentic self-expression flip on the body’s self-healing processes. In the final section of the book, you’ll be introduced to a radical new wellness model based on Dr. Rankin’s scientific findings. Her unique six-step program will help you uncover where things might be out of whack in your life—spiritually, creatively, environmentally, nutritionally, and in your professional and personal relationships—so that you can create a customized treatment plan aimed at bolstering these health-promoting pieces of your life. You’ll learn how to listen to your body’s whispers before they turn to life-threatening screams that can be prevented with proper self-care, and you’ll learn how to trust your inner guidance when making decisions about your health and your life. By the time you finish Mind Over Medicine, you’ll have made your own Diagnosis, written your own Prescription, and created a clear action plan designed to help you make your body ripe for miracles. |
| holy grail of medicine: Genes, Cells and Brains: The Promethean Promises of the New Biology Hilary Rose, Steven Rose, 2012 Dissecting the hype from the frontiers of bioethics, genomics and neuroscience. |
| holy grail of medicine: Case Studies in Emergency Medicine Colin G. Kaide, Christopher E. San Miguel, 2019-11-14 This book contains a variety of medical case studies from actual patients presenting to the emergency department. It includes not only typical cases that present to the ED but also less common, yet very important cases that one can't afford to miss. Each chapter begins with a case – or set of cases with typical and atypical aspects – of the disease in question. This is followed by high-value learning points on the condition with introductory/background points, physiology and pathophysiology of the disease, how to make the diagnosis, and finally how to initiate treatment. The cases provide expert discussion with tips and tricks, personal experience with management of each of the cases, and a follow-up description of the outcome of the cases to provide the reader with closure. To supplement each case study, all 67 chapters include a pattern recognition component that identifies the key diagnostic features of the disease discussed. The chapters conclude with a summary of the diagnostic and treatment details of each condition. Using a concise, easy-to-read, bulleted format, the book helps readers to learn, evaluate, adopt new practices, right now (LEARN). Emergency Medicine Case Studies - LEARNing Rounds: Learn, Evaluate, Adopt, Right Now is an essential resource for a variety of emergency medicine clinicians including experienced physicians, residents, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and medical students rotating in the emergency department. Finally, this book can be used as a basis for small group discussions, especially in emergency medicine training programs. |
| holy grail of medicine: Traditional Systems of Medicine M. Z. Abdin, Y. P. Abrol, 2006 The drugs of herbal, herbo-mineral and animal origin have been used by the traditional healers to maintain health and treat diseases since the dawn of civilization. This book contains chapters on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) of traditional medicines. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Proceedings of the 18th Annual History of Medicine Days Conference 2009 Aleksandra Loewenau, Kerry Sun, 2011-12-08 This volume is the first one in a peer-reviewed series of Proceedings Volumes from the Calgary History of Medicine Days conferences, which are now produced with Cambridge Scholars Publishing. The History of Medicine Days are two-day Nation-wide conferences held annually in spring at the University of Calgary (Canada), where undergraduate and early graduate students from across Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Europe give paper and poster presentations on a wide variety of topics from the history of medicine and health care. The selected 2009 conference papers that are assembled in this volume, particularly comprise the history of Ancient Medicine, Canadiana, Eugenics, Military Medicine, Public Health, Surgery, Diseases, as well as Sex and Gender perspectives. Distinguished Professor of Biology and Chair of the History of Biology Program at Washington University in St. Louis (USA), Dr. Garland E. Allen, held the 2009 keynote address at the conference. His topic “Evolution, Genetics and Eugenics: The Misuse of Biological Theory, 1900–1945” was largely based on an earlier article in the scholarly journal Endeavour. With the permission of the author and editors-in-chief of Endeavour, this article could be reprinted in the current volume where it represents the 2009 keynote address. This volume also includes the abstracts of all 2009 conference presentations and is well-illustrated with diagrams and images pertaining to the history of medicine. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Inflammation Cure William Joel Meggs, Carol Svec, 2005-01-21 Outlines simple steps for reversing heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and other diseases of aging. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Mysteries of the Holy Grail Rudolf Steiner, 2013-05-16 From the ancient British tales of King Arthur and his knights through the medieval Central European sagas of Parzival, right up to modern-day blockbuster novels and films, the Grail has long maintained its enigmatic presence in western culture. It is said to be many things: a lost and priceless treasure, the chalice cup of the Last Supper, the cup that caught Jesus Christ's blood from the cross on Golgotha, or even a secret royal bloodline...Basing his presentations on far-reaching spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner gave profoundly esoteric, multifaceted insights into the mysteries of the Holy Grail. Collected together for the first time in a single volume, together with commentary and notes, these passages offer vivid tableaux with a multiplicity of meanings: a story that speaks to the human soul with a depth and complexity that intellectual interpretations alone cannot begin to fathom. Just as Parzival had to encounter and engage with veils of illusion and valleys of shadow and doubt, Rudolf Steiner presents us with a similarly challenging path. This book is more than a treasure of thought and insight: it invites us to embark on a personal quest to develop the abilities and vision required for grasping the elusive Grail itself. As editor Matthew Barton writes: The vessel of the Grail gradually descends towards us and comes into focus as we raise ourselves individually to it by piercing through the illusions of materialism, acknowledging that we ourselves can ultimately become true vessels for the spirit. |
| holy grail of medicine: Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime Peter Gotzsche, 2019-08-21 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AFTER HEART DISEASE AND CANCER. In his latest ground-breaking book, Peter C Gotzsche exposes the pharmaceutical industries and their charade of fraudulent behaviour, both in research and marketing where the morally repugnant disregard for human lives is the norm. He convincingly draws close co |
| holy grail of medicine: The Social Medicine Reader, Volume II, Third Edition Jonathan Oberlander, Mara Buchbinder, Larry R. Churchill, Sue E. Estroff, Nancy M. P. King, Barry F. Saunders, Ronald P. Strauss, Rebecca L. Walker, 2019-05-31 The extensively updated and revised third edition of the bestselling Social Medicine Reader provides a survey of the challenging issues facing today's health care providers, patients, and caregivers with writings by scholars in medicine, the social sciences, and the humanities. |
| holy grail of medicine: When We Do Harm Danielle Ofri, MD, 2020-03-23 Medical mistakes are more pervasive than we think. How can we improve outcomes? An acclaimed MD’s rich stories and research explore patient safety. Patients enter the medical system with faith that they will receive the best care possible, so when things go wrong, it’s a profound and painful breach. Medical science has made enormous strides in decreasing mortality and suffering, but there’s no doubt that treatment can also cause harm, a significant portion of which is preventable. In When We Do Harm, practicing physician and acclaimed author Danielle Ofri places the issues of medical error and patient safety front and center in our national healthcare conversation. Drawing on current research, professional experience, and extensive interviews with nurses, physicians, administrators, researchers, patients, and families, Dr. Ofri explores the diagnostic, systemic, and cognitive causes of medical error. She advocates for strategic use of concrete safety interventions such as checklists and improvements to the electronic medical record, but focuses on the full-scale cultural and cognitive shifts required to make a meaningful dent in medical error. Woven throughout the book are the powerfully human stories that Dr. Ofri is renowned for. The errors she dissects range from the hardly noticeable missteps to the harrowing medical cataclysms. While our healthcare system is—and always will be—imperfect, Dr. Ofri argues that it is possible to minimize preventable harms, and that this should be the galvanizing issue of current medical discourse. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Tree of Life and the Holy Grail Sylvia Francke, 2007 Recent works of fiction and popular history have promoted the idea that the Holy Grail symbolizes a physical bloodline that resulted from a union of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. It is claimed by some that this is the secret kept tirelessly by certain esoteric movements for the past two millennia. Based on her groundbreaking research, Sylvia Francke exposes this notion as a blatant misinterpretation of the mystery traditions that preceded and ran parallel to the birth of Christianity. She traces the ancient spiritual paths of knowledge from the Cathars, the Knights Templar, and the enigmatic Rosicrucians, to the work of Rudolf Steiner in the twentieth century. Here, she concludes, is true Grail knowledge--the Tree of Life and the Holy Grail itself, explained in their metaphysical context. She suggests a solution to the mystery of sudden wealth and the strange behavior of Bérenger Saunière, the mysterious priest of Rennes-le-Château in southern France. True Grail knowledge, Francke concludes, has nothing to do with bloodlines or worldly status; rather, it is an ancient lifeline to the spiritual origins of creation. Its energetic forces radiate out from the Earth and in from the constellations and planets, while interacting with human individuals. It represents the key to fulfilling humanity's quest and the next step in human evolution. The recent explosion of interest in revisionist Christianity history--the shadow Grail--prompted Sylvia Francke to revise The Tree of Life and the Holy Grail, first published in 1996. The result is a completely reworked and expanded book that offers a powerful and convincing refutation of distorted esoteric truths. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Immortality Key Brian C. Muraresku, 2020-09-29 THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER As seen on The Joe Rogan Experience! A groundbreaking dive into the role psychedelics have played in the origins of Western civilization, and the real-life quest for the Holy Grail that could shake the Church to its foundations. The most influential religious historian of the 20th century, Huston Smith, once referred to it as the best-kept secret in history. Did the Ancient Greeks use drugs to find God? And did the earliest Christians inherit the same, secret tradition? A profound knowledge of visionary plants, herbs and fungi passed from one generation to the next, ever since the Stone Age? There is zero archaeological evidence for the original Eucharist – the sacred wine said to guarantee life after death for those who drink the blood of Jesus. The Holy Grail and its miraculous contents have never been found. In the absence of any hard data, whatever happened at the Last Supper remains an article of faith for today’s 2.5 billion Christians. In an unprecedented search for answers, The Immortality Key examines the archaic roots of the ritual that is performed every Sunday for nearly one third of the planet. Religion and science converge to paint a radical picture of Christianity’s founding event. And after centuries of debate, to solve history’s greatest puzzle. Before the birth of Jesus, the Ancient Greeks found salvation in their own sacraments. Sacred beverages were routinely consumed as part of the so-called Ancient Mysteries – elaborate rites that led initiates to the brink of death. The best and brightest from Athens and Rome flocked to the spiritual capital of Eleusis, where a holy beer unleashed heavenly visions for two thousand years. Others drank the holy wine of Dionysus to become one with the god. In the 1970s, renegade scholars claimed this beer and wine – the original sacraments of Western civilization – were spiked with mind-altering drugs. In recent years, vindication for the disgraced theory has been quietly mounting in the laboratory. The constantly advancing fields of archaeobotany and archaeochemistry have hinted at the enduring use of hallucinogenic drinks in antiquity. And with a single dose of psilocybin, the psychopharmacologists at Johns Hopkins and NYU are now turning self-proclaimed atheists into instant believers. But the smoking gun remains elusive. If these sacraments survived for thousands of years in our remote prehistory, from the Stone Age to the Ancient Greeks, did they also survive into the age of Jesus? Was the Eucharist of the earliest Christians, in fact, a psychedelic Eucharist? With an unquenchable thirst for evidence, Muraresku takes the reader on his twelve-year global hunt for proof. He tours the ruins of Greece with its government archaeologists. He gains access to the hidden collections of the Louvre to show the continuity from pagan to Christian wine. He unravels the Ancient Greek of the New Testament with the world’s most controversial priest. He spelunks into the catacombs under the streets of Rome to decipher the lost symbols of Christianity’s oldest monuments. He breaches the secret archives of the Vatican to unearth manuscripts never before translated into English. And with leads from the archaeological chemists at UPenn and MIT, he unveils the first scientific data for the ritual use of psychedelic drugs in classical antiquity. The Immortality Key reconstructs the suppressed history of women consecrating a forbidden, drugged Eucharist that was later banned by the Church Fathers. Women who were then targeted as witches during the Inquisition, when Europe’s sacred pharmacology largely disappeared. If the scientists of today have resurrected this technology, then Christianity is in crisis. Unless it returns to its roots. Featuring a Foreword by Graham Hancock, the NYT bestselling author of America Before. |
| holy grail of medicine: Advances in Clinical Immunology, Medical Microbiology, COVID-19, and Big Data Raj Bawa, 2021-12-23 The pace and sophistication of advances in medicine in the past two decades have necessitated a growing need for a comprehensive reference that highlights current issues in medicine. Each volume in the Current Issues in Medicine series is a stand‐alone text that provides a broad survey of various critical topics—all accomplished in a user-friendly yet interconnected format. The series not only highlights current advances but also explores related topics such as translational medicine, regulatory science, neglected diseases, global pandemics, patent law, immunotoxicology, theranostics, big data, artificial intelligence, novel imaging tools, combination drug products, and novel therapies. While bridging the gap between basic research and clinical medicine, this series provides a thorough understanding of medicine’s potential to address health problems from both the patient’s and the provider’s perspectives in a healthcare setting. The range of topics covered and the expertise of the contributing authors accurately reflect the rapidly evolving areas within medicine—from basic medical sciences to clinical specialties. Each volume is essential reading for physicians, medical students, nurses, fellows, residents, undergraduate and graduate students, educators, policymakers, and biomedical researchers. The multidisciplinary approach of the series makes it a valuable reference resource for the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and governments. However, unlike other series on medicine or medical textbooks, this series focuses on current trends, perspectives, and issues in medicine that are central to healthcare delivery in the 21st century. Volume 2 focuses on the current issues in basic medical sciences, subjects that are fundamental to the practice of medicine. Specifically, it discusses clinical immunology, medical microbiology, COVID-19, and big data. These subjects, traditionally taught in the first two years of medical school that precede clinical instruction, provide a core of basic knowledge critical to the success in clinical medicine during rotations, training, and medical practice. |
| holy grail of medicine: Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy Walter Willett, P.J. Skerrett, Edward L. Giovannucci, 2017-09-19 In this national bestseller based on Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health research, Dr. Willett explains why the USDA guidelines--the famous food pyramid--are not only wrong but also dangerous. |
| holy grail of medicine: Genes, Cells, and Brains Hilary Rose, Steven Rose, 2014-04-08 Our fates lie in our genes and not in the stars, said James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA. But Watson could not have predicted the scale of the industry now dedicated to this new frontier. Since the launch of the multibillion-dollar Human Genome Project, the biosciences have promised miraculous cures and radical new ways of understanding who we are. But where is the new world we were promised? Now updated with a new afterword, Genes, Cells and Brains asks why the promised cornucopia of health benefits has failed to emerge and reveals the questionable enterprise that has grown out of bioethics. The authors, feminist sociologist Hilary Rose and neuroscientist Steven Rose, examine the establishment of biobanks, the rivalries between public and private gene sequencers, and the rise of stem cell research. The human body is becoming a commodity, and the unfulfilled promises of the science behind this revolution suggest profound failings in genomics itself. |
| holy grail of medicine: Radical Remission Kelly A. Turner, PhD, 2014-03-18 In her New York Times bestseller, Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, Dr. Kelly A. Turner, founder of the Radical Remission Project, uncovers nine factors that can lead to a spontaneous remission from cancer—even after conventional medicine has failed. While getting her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley, Dr. Turner, a researcher, lecturer, and counselor in integrative oncology, was shocked to discover that no one was studying episodes of radical (or unexpected) remission—when people recover against all odds without the help of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed. She was so fascinated by this kind of remission that she embarked on a ten month trip around the world, traveling to ten different countries to interview fifty holistic healers and twenty radical remission cancer survivors about their healing practices and techniques. Her research continued by interviewing over 100 Radical Remission survivors and studying over 1000 of these cases. Her evidence presents nine common themes that she believes may help even terminal patients turn their lives around. |
| holy grail of medicine: Strategies in Regenerative Medicine Matteo Santin, 2009-02-28 The profound transformations occurred in our modern age have been made possible by the unique combination of new technologies. Among them, me- cine has completely changed our perception of life. Longevity has been signi- cantly extended and linked to new lifestyles. The negative impact that pathologies and ageing have always had on the quality of our life is now mitigated by the availability of treatments daily applied to many individuals worldwide. For many years, pharmacological and surgical treatments have been supported by the introduction of biomedical devices. Biomedical implants have played a key role in the development of these treatments and achieved the objective of replacing tissue and organ structures and functionalities. Gra- ally, the scientific and clinical communities have understood that replacement could be improved by materials able to interact with the tissues and to parti- pate in their metabolism and functions. This approach soon led to biomedical implants with improved clinical performances, but also to a new aspiration; rather than replacing damaged tissues and organs scientists and clinicians nowadays aim at their partial or complete regeneration. As a consequence of this ambition, the disciplines of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have recently emerged. It is the dawn of a fascinating era where scientists from various disciplines, clinicians, and industry will need to intensify their col- borative efforts to provide our society with new and affordable solutions. |
| holy grail of medicine: Future Medicine Michael Howard Cohen, 2009-12-18 Future Medicine is an investigation into the clinical, legal, ethical, and regulatory changes occurring in our health care system as a result of the developing field of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Here Michael H. Cohen describes the likely evolution of the legal system and the health care system at the crossroads of developments in the way human beings care for body, mind, emotions, environment, and soul. Through the use of fascinating and relevant case studies, Cohen presents stimulating questions that will challenge academics, intellectuals, and all those interested in the future of health care. In concise, evocative strokes, the book lays the foundation for a novel synthesis of ideas from such diverse disciplines as transpersonal psychology, political philosophy, and bioethics. Providing an exploration of regulatory conundrums faced by many healing professionals, Cohen articulates the value of expanding our concept of health care regulation to consider not only goals of fraud control and quality assurance, but also health care freedom, integration of global medicine, and human transformation. Future Medicine provides a fair-minded, illuminating, and honest discussion that will interest hospice workers, pastoral counselors, and psychotherapists, as well as bioethicists, physicians and allied health care providers, complementary and alternative medical providers (such as chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, massage therapists, homeopaths, and herbalists), and attorneys, hospital administrators, health care executives, and government health care workers. Michael H. Cohen is Director for Legal Programs, the Center for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. |
| holy grail of medicine: Selling Sickness Ray Moynihan, Alan Cassels, 2008-09-01 In this hard-hitting indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, Ray Moynihan and Allan Cassels show how drug companies are systematically using their dominating influence in the world of medical science, drug companies are working to widen the very boundaries that define illness. Mild problems are redefined as serious illness, and common complaints are labeled as medical conditions requiring drug treatments. Runny noses are now allergic rhinitis, PMS has become a psychiatric disorder, and hyperactive children have ADD. Selling Sickness reveals how expanding the boundaries of illness and lowering the threshold for treatments is creating millions of new patients and billions in new profits, in turn threatening to bankrupt national healthcare systems all over the world. This Canadian edition includes an introduction placing the issue in a Canadian context and describing why Canadians should be concerned about the problem. |
| holy grail of medicine: Quest of the Holy Grail Anonymous, 2018-08-07 The Old French Lancelot-Graal is an important but massive work, providing a place for King Arthur not only in the history of Britain but also in Christian history. This new translation of one section, the Quest of the Holy Grail, will be a flexible addition to courses on medieval literature or romance. The notes and guides are designed to help readers enjoy the text while appreciating its relationship to social and literary history. Appendices include translations of material from two of Chrétien de Troyes’s romances (Perceval and Yvain); translations from other parts of the Lancelot-Grail Cycle (the early history of the Grail and the conception of Galahad); and excerpts from apocryphal works (from French versions written at about the same time as the Quest). |
| holy grail of medicine: Advances in Medical Biochemistry, Genomics, Physiology, and Pathology Raj Bawa, Esther H. Chang, Gerald F. Audette, Anil Diwan, Saadia A. Faiz, 2021-12-22 The pace and sophistication of advances in medicine in the past two decades have necessitated a growing need for a comprehensive reference that highlights current issues in medicine. Each volume in the Current Issues in Medicine series is a stand‐alone text that provides a broad survey of various critical topics—all accomplished in a user-friendly yet interconnected format. The series not only highlights current advances but also explores related topics such as translational medicine, regulatory science, neglected diseases, global pandemics, patent law, immunotoxicology, theranostics, big data, artificial intelligence, novel imaging tools, combination drug products, and novel therapies. While bridging the gap between basic research and clinical medicine, this series provides a thorough understanding of medicine’s potential to address health problems from both the patient’s and the provider’s perspectives in a healthcare setting. The range of topics covered and the expertise of the contributing authors accurately reflect the rapidly evolving areas within medicine—from basic medical sciences to clinical specialties. Each volume is essential reading for physicians, medical students, nurses, fellows, residents, undergraduate and graduate students, educators, policymakers, and biomedical researchers. The multidisciplinary approach of the series makes it a valuable reference resource for the pharmaceutical industry, academia, and governments. However, unlike other series on medicine or medical textbooks, this series focuses on current trends, perspectives, and issues in medicine that are central to healthcare delivery in the 21st century. Volume 1 focuses on the current issues in basic medical sciences, subjects that are fundamental to the practice of medicine. Specifically, it covers medical biochemistry, genomics, physiology, and pathology. These subjects, traditionally taught in the first two years of medical school that precede clinical instruction, provide a core of basic knowledge critical to the success in clinical medicine during rotations, training, and medical practice. |
| holy grail of medicine: Functional Nitric Oxide Nutrition Nathan S Bryan Phd, 2018-05 This book describes the role of nitric oxide in health and disease. Nitric oxide is one of the most important molecules produced by humans and is considered the Holy Grail in cardiovascular medicine. Loss of nitric oxide production is what leads to chronic disease. Without healthy NO (Nitric Oxide) levels you cannot be healthy and prevent the diseases of aging. Nitric oxide is the secret to anti-aging. This book reveals the latest scientific and medical information so that readers can understand the importance of nitric oxide for optimal health. This eye-opening book teaches how the body makes NO, what goes wrong in people that can't make NO, and perhaps most importantly, how to restore production of this miracle molecule. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Grail Legend Emma Jung, Marie-Luise von Franz, 1998 Writing in a clear and readable style, two leading women of the Jungian school of psychology present this legend as a living myth that is profoundly relevant to modern life. 17 illustrations. |
| holy grail of medicine: Clinical Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications Management Association, Information Resources, 2011-05-31 This multi-volume book delves into the many applications of information technology ranging from digitizing patient records to high-performance computing, to medical imaging and diagnostic technologies, and much more-- |
| holy grail of medicine: Medicine, Health and the Arts Victoria Bates, Alan Bleakley, Sam Goodman, 2013-10-23 In recent decades, both medical humanities and medical history have emerged as rich and varied sub-disciplines. Medicine, Health and the Arts is a collection of specially commissioned essays designed to bring together different approaches to these complex fields. Written by a selection of established and emerging scholars, this volume embraces a breadth and range of methodological approaches to highlight not only developments in well-established areas of debate, but also newly emerging areas of investigation, new methodological approaches to the medical humanities and the value of the humanities in medical education. Divided into five sections, this text begins by offering an overview and analysis of the British and North American context. It then addresses in-depth the historical and contemporary relationship between visual art, literature and writing, performance and music. There are three chapters on each art form, which consider how history can illuminate current challenges and potential future directions. Each section contains an introductory overview, addressing broad themes and methodological concerns; a case study of the impact of medicine, health and well-being on an art form; and a case study of the impact of that art form on medicine, health and wellbeing. The underlining theme of the book is that the relationship between medicine, health and the arts can only be understood by examining the reciprocal relationship and processes of exchange between them. This volume promises to be a welcome and refreshing addition to the developing field of medical humanities. Both informative and thought provoking, it will be important reading for students, academics and practitioners in the medical humanities and arts in health, as well as health professionals, and all scholars and practitioners interested in the questions and debates surrounding medicine, health and the arts. |
| holy grail of medicine: MCQs in Medicine Debra King, 2012-12-06 Academic geriatnclans are always looking for an improved objective, quantifiable measure of biological ageing in humans to replace that unphysiological and arbitrary scale 'years survived'. The MCQ may be the nearest we have come yet to achieving this Holy Grail. An individual's facility with the setting and answering of MCQs separates the medical genera tions more surely than years. I am only grateful I was educated in a less rigorous but perhaps more 'gentlemanly' era. If one appeared before an examiner neatly dressed with clean finger nails and the examination scripts were literate essays written in fountain pen then you were in - or so it seemed. For the past 20 years we have been evolving towards much more objective and rigorous assessment of knowledge and understanding of medicine of both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This process has been exemplified by the evolution of what is now the seemingly ubiquitous MCQ. When initially presented as objective and quantifiable measures of clinical knowledge MCQs were the subject of scorn - how could they assess the art of medicine - the grey areas of clinical decision making? However they very rapidly overcame this antediluvian scepticism and I believe they have had an effect well beyond the limited area of competence measurement. They have induced or at the very least contributed to a shift towards a more rigorous, dare one say more scientific, approach to clinical medicine. |
| holy grail of medicine: Medicine of the Imagination: Dwelling in Possibility Imelda Almqvist, 2020-10-30 The human imagination gives rise to the most beautiful man-made structures and creations on Earth: architecture, literature, theatre, music, art, humanitarian initiatives, moon landings and space exploration, mythology, science, they all require a large dose of imagination. We all live surrounded by the results of the imagination of our peers, and the creations of our ancestors. Without imagination there is no compassion, no moral compass and no progress. But without imagination there is also no fear of death. There are no premeditated murders or terrorist attacks; these rely on the human ability to imagine, to call up images and test-drive possible scenarios in the human mind. Once we get out the magnifying glass, we discover that the imagination is a double-edged sword. All of us together, humanity as a collective, are creating very confused and mixed outcomes: world peace remains elusive, wars rage and children starve. Addictions and pollution proliferate. Medicine of the Imagination: Dwelling in Possibility examines these issues and suggests that if we are to transcend religious wars, homophobia and medical “cures” worse than the diseases we face then it that it is our moral duty to engage our imagination in service to other people. |
| holy grail of medicine: Miracles and Other Unusual Medical Experiences Byron Oberst M.D., 2013-10-01 This book describes the many diverse experiences of a very active pediatrician from 1943 to 1988. This story begins when he was in medical school in 1943 and ends with his retirement thirty-seven years later in 1988. It includes post retirement stints as a Medical Director for a medical software company and being the Medical Director for a commercial plasma collecting center. He vividly describes many different and unusual medical cases including two true Miracles. One occurred in 1952 during the horrendous polio epidemic, Connie and the other one in the 1970s, Thumbelina. These Miracles are described vivid detail with all of their agonizing twists and turns. Neither patient should have survived with their many complications and circumstances, but with Gods grace they did. This book contains unusual and different exotic medical encounters when the author was in Japan while in the Army Medical Corps in 1949-1950. This book details why and how he had to become a pseudo-specialist in several fields in his early and middle practice years. There were few, if any, trained specialists during those early years. Dr. Oberst portrays a full and productive professional life in many ways which are described in this tome. This book is a pleasant and interesting read for everyone to enjoy. It contains humor, vivid descriptions, happiness, agonies, and pathos. |
| holy grail of medicine: The Uncertain Art Sherwin B. Nuland, 2008-05-20 “Life is short, and the Art so long; the occasion fleeting; experience fallacious; and judgment difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to make the patient, the attendants, and the externals, cooperate.” –attributed to Hippocrates, c. 400 B.C.E. The award-winning author of How We Die and The Art of Aging, venerated physician Sherwin B. Nuland has now written his most thoughtful and engaging book. The Uncertain Art is a superb collection of essays about the vital mix of expertise, intuition, sound judgment, and pure chance that plays a part in a doctor’s practice and life. Drawing from history, the recent past, and his own life, Nuland weaves a tapestry of compelling stories in which doctors have had to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Topics include the primitive (and sometimes illegal) procedures doctors once practiced with good intentions, such as grave robbing and prescribing cocaine as an anesthetic (which resulted in a physician becoming America’s first cocaine addict); the curious “cures” for irregularity touted by people from the ancient Egyptians to the cereal titan John Harvey Kellogg and bodybuilder Charles Atlas; and healers grappling with today’s complex moral and ethical quandaries, from cloning to gene therapy to the adoption of Eastern practices like acupuncture. Nuland also recounts his most dramatic experiences in a forty-year medical career: the time he was called out of the audience of a Broadway play to help a man having a heart attack (when no other doctor there would respond), and how he formed a profound friendship with an unforgettable–and doomed–heart patient. Behind these inspiring accounts always lie the mysteries of the human body and human nature, the manner in which the ill can will themselves back to health and the odd and essential interactions between a body’s own healing mechanisms and a doctor’s prescriptions. Riveting and wise, amusing and heartrending, The Uncertain Art is Sherwin Nuland’s best work, gems from a man who has spent his professional life acting in the face of ambiguity and sharing what he has learned. |
| holy grail of medicine: Collaborative Medicine Case Studies Rodger Kessler, Dale Stafford, 2008-03-11 This timely and important work looks at the collaborative health care model for the delivery of mental health care in a primary care setting. This has become the ideal model for the treatment of comorbid medical and psychiatric or psychological disorders. There is also an increased awareness that pharmacological intervention, the most frequently delivered intervention for psychological disorders, is often of limited effectiveness without concurrent specific psychological intervention. The book includes more than two dozen case studies, co-written by clinical psychologists and primary care physicians. It is essential reading for any psychology practitioner in a clinical setting, as well as for health care administrators. |
