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Lawrence K. Altman

Who Goes First?: The Story of Self-Experimentation in Medicine First Edition

by Lawrence K. Altman (Author)

4.7 17 ratings

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Lawrence Altman has authored the only complete history of the controversial and understudied practice of self-experimentation. In telling the stories of pioneering researchers, Altman offers a history of many of the most important medical advancements in recent years as well as centuries past―from anesthesia to yellow fever to heart disease. With a new preface, he brings readers up to date and continues his discussion of the ethics and controversy that continue to surround a practice that benefits millions but is understood by few.

ISBN-10

0520212819
ISBN-13

978-0520212817
Edition

First Edition
Publisher

University of California Press
Publication date

May 12, 1998
Language

English
Dimensions

6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Print length

454 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Medical research." When most of us hear those words, our imagination conjures up bored graduates with white jackets in a sterile porcelain laboratory, knowing no more about their subjects than ID number and blood type. This depersonalization of modern science is a myth, of course, but a powerful one that guides the way science is perceived and performed. This myth neglects or marginalizes the work of those men and women who take the human aspects of their research so seriously that they feel compelled to experiment on themselves. Who Goes First? tells their stories and thus gives us a view of medical research that diverges from the alienation of the nameless number heads.

Lawrence K. Altman has pursued research on the subject of medical self-experimentation since his days as a medical student, and this personal interest shines throughout the book. His writing is smart and enthusiastic, shedding light on a little-discussed aspect of research that raises important questions of ethics and scientific validity. Can a researcher be as objective about his or her own reactions to a drug as to a stranger's reactions? Should a scientist subject others to risks that he or she wouldn't take personally? What, if anything, do we have to gain from self-experimentation?

As you might imagine, this book is not for the squeamish. Even if you're not put off by the ocean of body fluids, you may find the terrors of curare-induced paralysis or life under quarantine a bit troubling. Still, for those willing or eager to confront such details, Who Goes First? provides an outstanding, highly readable introduction to the rehumanization of medical research. --Rob Lightner

Review

"Thoughtful and provocative."--Fitzhugh Mullan, "New York Times Book Review

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; First Edition (May 12, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 454 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520212819
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520212817
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #712,915 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #43 in History of Medicine (Books)
- #62 in Medical Ethics (Books)
- #137 in Medical Research (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 17 ratings

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4.7 out of 5

17 global ratings

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K. L Sadler

A Magnificent Book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 26, 2000

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This is one of the few nonfictional books that I have ever read that I have literally had a hard time putting it down. Dr. Altman not only wrote a book of significant importance about the need for self-experimentation, and the history of it...but he wrote it so well that I wanted to know what and who did the next group of experiments. It also explained a lot of procedures I learned about in medical school, but sometimes without the knowledge of the history behind it complete understanding is impossible. The author also explains quite clearly why we can't use just animals in experimentation, and gives numerous illustrations of physicians and scientists who...surprise!...actually think about others compassionately and are able to put themselves in the shoes of the patients. After undergoing an experimental cochlear implant which failed (in its early days), this book makes it a lot easier for me to explain to others why I undertook such a risk and didn't sue when it failed and made me ill. The book also makes clear the need for both patient and doctor awareness of informed consent...for all patients, including those who are disabled or those who lack a complete education. Dr. Altman wrote a book that should definitely be required reading by all medical personnel in ethics classes. Karen L. Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh, klsst23@pitt.edu

11 people found this helpful

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Dr Alex Danso

THAT IS FANTASTIC

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 24, 2014

Verified Purchase

THIS Book was exceptional . It tells us that what we have achieved in Medicine today by way of treatment of most diseases came through the selfless work of REAL HEROES . .THAT IS FANTASTIC

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RobBear

Great read. Fascinating stories.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

Fascinating history of an aspect of medical research not widely known. Many great breakthroughs in medicine were the result of researchers experimenting on themselves. Interesting bioethical issues.

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Metallurgist

Informative, well-written and a page turner as well

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 20, 2010

This book is a classic - informative and well written. Dr. Altman writes with clarity, imparting a lot of medical information in an exciting manner. This is a rare non-fiction book that is a page-turner as well as being very informative. The book details stories of doctors and medical scientists who used themselves to test inoculations against diseases, new medicines, and to learn more about the working of the human body and disease processes. They studied the workings of the heart, the cause and treatment of yellow fever and other viral diseases, parasitic diseases such as malaria, fungal and bacterial diseases, diet deficiency diseases such as scurvy and pellagra, blood diseases, cancer, and many more. Many of these experiments were dangerous and a few researchers died from them. The book not only describes these experiments, but also goes into the motivation of the researchers and the deeper question as to the ethics of self-experimentation. Dr. Altman feels not only that it is ethical for a researcher to go first, but also endorses this procedure, and in the final chapter of the book he explains the benefits of doing so. In fact, he goes further and questions the behavior of experimenters who can go first, but choose not to experiment on themselves, even to the extent of suggesting that one should not participate in an experiment unless the experimenter has gone first (unless there is a good reason why this is not possible or advisable).

This book was written more than 20 years ago, but it is timeless in the information provided, the questions that it raises, and the high quality of the writing. I recommend this book to those interested in medicine, science, and history, and to all those who just like to read a well-written and exciting book.

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mdsleuth

Original and informative

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on August 29, 2012

Verified Purchase

Dr Altman has done an impressive amount of research to write this book, including interviewing some of the physicians involved in more contemporary examples. It is very informative and never fails to impress the reader as to the dedication, courage and creativity of the researchers involved. I would recommend it to anyone interested in better understanding an important part of the basis of modern medical knowledge.

Amazon Customer

This book inspired me

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on March 3, 2018

Verified Purchase

Nicely layout of stories, and solid facts within. I myself am a part-time writer and write about medical figures, and stories in this book inspired me to write a couple new stories. Thank you Mr. Altman.

シン

医学教育者にぜひ読んでいただきたい著書

Reviewed in Japan 🇯🇵 on November 26, 2012

Verified Purchase

綿密な調査による傑出した医学史の著書。第六章の Reed のように著者が会えない実験者をのぞき、本人への直接のインタビューに基づいており、注を含め、一次資料としての価値も大きい。
　例えば、心カテーテルを最初に試した Forsmann に最初に綿密なインタビューしたのは著者で、最初の実験の細かい様子、ノーベル賞受賞後彼が国立研究所のトップの招聘を断り、町の泌尿器医師を通した理由が記されている。さらに最初の実験に携わった看護師の Ditzen を探したことも、著者の誠意がうかがえる。また全身麻酔、局所麻酔に関する章も詳細で、参考になることが多い。
　英文は簡明で、医学用語以外はわかりやすい。それぞれの章を独立して読むことも可能なので、大学のセミナーでの購読本としても活用できそうである。
　著者の努力で出版された1980年代後半の本であるが、ペーパーバックとして出版した、University of California Press の決断にも敬意を表したい。

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