From Publishers Weekly
Mimicking the style of his favorite genre, the detective story, author and doctor Edlow (Bull's Eye: Unraveling the Medical Mystery of Lyme Disease) retells 15 stories of "shoe-leather epidemiology" that delve into the complex world of diagnostic medicine. In the title story, three cases of botulism are traced, with the work of physicians, local health department officials, and CDC representatives, to a jar of oil-packed garlic. Other chapters cover typhoid fever in restaurant orange juice, gastrointestinal infestation via fish tank water, and illnesses caused by excess vitamins A and D. Readers, especially those already alarmed over everyday pathogens, will find plenty to worry about, including herbal teas grandfathered out of FDA regulations; sudden changes in diets that may, literally, plug up your pipes; and all-natural, fresh-pressed cider that may harbor dangerous e. coli. Readers will also find that every medical diagnosis is a puzzle to be solved, often by gathering and analyzing data with the help of a team. Much like a true-life version of television's House M.D., these fast-paced, detail-heavy stories will prove compelling for fans of mystery and medicine.
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Review
“Offers mystery stories in the tradition of Berton Roueché that are every bit as exciting and illuminating as the originals. Edlow’s stories are replete with information about strange medical adventures and treatments that any of us might experience one day.”—Philip A. Mackowiak, M.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine
(Philip A. Mackowiak 20100327)
“An intriguing collection of medical ‘detective’ stories, this book both entertains and meets the general need for medical knowledge.”—Stephen H. Zinner, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Mount Auburn Hospital
(Stephen H. Zinner 20100228)
“Drama, intrigue, solid detective work are the fabric on which Edlow weaves a bountiful collection of fascinating stories. It will inform and keep you spellbound. The pulse is exciting, the thrill of discovery palpable. Masterfully written.”—Sanjiv Chopra, M.D., Harvard Medical School, author of Dr. Sanjiv Chopra’s Liver Book
(Sanjiv Chopra )
“These interesting medical tales educate as well as entertain.”—Sandeep Jauhar, M.D., author of Intern: A Doctor''s Initiation
(Sandeep Jauhar )
“. . . the book flows well and is easy to read. . . .I wholeheartedly recommend this book and hope that it inspires the hidden detective in all of us.”—Emma Hill, Lancet
(Emma Hill
Lancet )
"With Atul Gawande and Jerome Groopman, Edlow is one of a distinguished group of literary Harvard medical professors who write lucidly about complex medical issues. . . . Edlow''s stories are told with the easy grace of an accomplished writer who builds on, then hides, the depth of his research."--Hugh Dillon, Sydney Morning Herald
(Hugh Dillon
Sydney Morning Herald )
"If you watch House for the medical mysteries, this is for you. Edlow tracks a series of unusual diseases or conditions from the initial illness, though the clues, dead ends and inspired deductions that littered the path to effective treatment.--Herald Sun
(
Herald Sun )
"Anyone with a penchant for the TV show House, or even a general interest in the more puzzling illnesses, will be engaged by the entertaining case studies. Edlow explores the history of disease through individual cases, without too much scientific jargon."--
Sunday Mail
(
Sunday Mail )
