Outerwear Edit from Shopbop
To share your reaction on this item, open the Amazon app from the App Store or Google Play on your phone.

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

eBook features:
  • Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
  • In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Puswhisperer: A Year in the Life of an Infectious Disease Doctor Kindle Edition

by Mark Crislip (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 43 ratings
See all formats and editions
H1N1. Staph aureus. Traveler’s diarrhea. All examples of human interaction with the microbial world, which counts viruses, bacteria, and parasites too numerous to mention. Infectious Disease doctor Mark Crislip has a strange relationship with this world—he spends most of his time trying to kill it, even as he appreciates the vital role microorganisms play in the Earth’s ecosystems.

Puswhisperer is a collection of infectious disease anecdotes created from a year’s worth of clinical blog posts from the Medscape blog Rubor, Dolor, Calor, Tumor. Originally intended for residents and fellows, the posts have been compiled, edited, and revised for a non-specialist audience. The tales cover a wide range of diagnostic dilemmas and treatment quandaries. Which infection smells like buttered popcorn? Are some antibiotics “stronger” than others? Is it OK to eat the oysters?

Along with clinical insight, the book provides a good dose of humor and insightful, microbe-centered philosophy. The author speculates on what the Earth might look like in five billion years, when animals and plants are gone, but bacteria remain. He also draws attention to the staggering rate of evolution in bacteria, made possible by short generation times and passing of genetic material from one bug to another. Finding a 60-year-old Staph strain in an old wound, Crislip tells us, is like looking out your window and seeing a Neanderthal shuffle by.

Recommended for anyone interested in infectious disease and the microorganisms that run our planet.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Publication date
    January 14, 2015
  2. Book 1 of 5
    Puswhisperer
  3. Language
    English
  4. File size
    1271 KB
  5. See all details
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

See full series
See included books
Shop this series
There are 5 books in this series.
Bundle price: Kindle price
$17.07
Bundle price: Kindle price
$28.45
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

This option includes 3 books.

This option includes 5 books.

Something went wrong.
Please try again.
Bundle price: Kindle price
$17.07
Bundle price: Kindle price
$28.45
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Crislip has been practicing Infectious Diseases in Portland, Oregon since 1990. He writes for Medscape, with a popular blog entitled Rubor, Dolor, Calor, Tumor. He is an editor and writer for the Science-Based Medicine blog averaging over a million page views a month. He edited a 12 volume e-book collection of the SBM blog entries, available on Amazon, Nook and iTunes. He produces three highly rated medical podcasts, the Puscast, Gobbet o' Pus and the Quackcast which won the People's Choice Podcast Award for best Health and Fitness podcast three years in a row. He produces the The ID Compendium, a popular Infectious Disease iPhone/Android reference application. He is also the President of the Society for Science-Based Medicine.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00SA3OMLC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bitingduck Press (January 14, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 14, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1271 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 43 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
43 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book humorous and entertaining, cleverly disguised as medical education. They describe it as an interesting read with a dry wit. The book is educational, with ID wisdom and anecdotes.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
HumorReadabilityEducational value
7 customers mention "Humor"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous and entertaining. They appreciate the author's humor and personality, which makes for an engaging read.

"...It’s entertaining and educational. I bought a copy as a going away present for a resident as well. Great book!" Read more

"...I can say that "Pus Whisperer" is more of the same - concise, humorous, and (most importantly) fascinating clinical pearls of wisdom...." Read more

"...It's even funnier than the author's puscast podcast. Also, I am very impressed that all the hyperlinks to the " Lit-er-at-ure" still work...." Read more

"...It's the rare gem, full of the author's own opinions and humorous personality. Don't think twice, buy it." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written with a dry wit.

"Love everything by Mark Crislip. I force my residents to listen to ‘story time’ where I read them excerpts from the book...." Read more

"...matter, all the while maintaining a dry wit that makes the material a joy to read and easier to remember...." Read more

"I discovered this excellent book through Dr. Crislip's Quackcast podcast, and the ability to read the book with his delightfully snarky voice in my..." Read more

"Interesting book written with a dry wit" Read more

3 customers mention "Educational value"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and educational, with ID wisdom and anecdotes.

"...It’s entertaining and educational. I bought a copy as a going away present for a resident as well. Great book!" Read more

"Very entertaining and educational at the same time!" Read more

"Very funny, chock full of ID wisdom and anecdotes...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Chelsea
    5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite ID book
    Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Love everything by Mark Crislip. I force my residents to listen to ‘story time’ where I read them excerpts from the book. It’s entertaining and educational. I bought a copy as a going away present for a resident as well. Great book!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Yuli Talyansky
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gobbet of clinical wisdom
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Having recently started listening to Dr. Crislip's excellent "Gobbet of Pus" podcasts, I can say that "Pus Whisperer" is more of the same - concise, humorous, and (most importantly) fascinating clinical pearls of wisdom. As a Microbiology major and pre-medical undergraduate, I find myself being drawn further and further into the field of infectious disease, and Pus Whisperer is definitely a contributing factor. Dr. Crislip conveys his knowledge of and love for the subject matter, all the while maintaining a dry wit that makes the material a joy to read and easier to remember. I heartily recommend this to anyone interested in medicine or the microbiological sciences, both layman and professional.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • ungodwyn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny, chock full of ID wisdom and anecdotes.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Freaking hilarious . If you like snark with your infectious disease anecdotes, this is the book for you. It's even funnier than the author's puscast podcast. Also, I am very impressed that all the hyperlinks to the " Lit-er-at-ure" still work. (So you can read his medical journal citations as you read the ebook). Well worth the money.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Marcus Twain
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for the content, 10 if you include the price
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    How good can an ID book be for a critical care attending (who's not even an internist) to not be able to put it down? It's the rare gem, full of the author's own opinions and humorous personality. Don't think twice, buy it.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Cedarlila
    4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I discovered this excellent book through Dr. Crislip's Quackcast podcast, and the ability to read the book with his delightfully snarky voice in my head was a definite plus. The book, and it's sequel, are well worth the price for anyone interested in infections and their human hosts. That being said, I have two nits to pick (heh) with the book. One is the bad copy-editing. I marked probably a dozen places where there were typos, homonyms, or just plain missing spaces between words. The second is that the insertion of political comments were unnecessary but I do understand this is opinion, not just a book of science.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kathleen Durante
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarity cleverly disguised as continuing medical education.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Hilarity cleverly disguised as continuing medical education. This is a fascinating read about interesting infectious disease cases, full of surprises that induce incurable giggles.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mari Galang
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very entertaining and educational at the same time!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Scott P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting book written with a dry wit
    Helpful
     Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report