Category Archives: Medical Science

Biographies of Scientists, Biography, book review, Medical Ethics, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Women in History, Women's biographies

WONDER DRUG – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

Wonder Drug Jennifer Vanderbes
Wonder Drug Jennifer Vanderbes
TitleWonder Drug: The Secret History of
Thalidomide in America and its Hidden Victims
AuthorJennifer Vanderbes
Publisher Random House (June 27, 2023)
FormatKindle, Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook
Pages432
GenreMedical History, Biographies of Medical
Professionals, Women’s Studies, Medical Ethics, Women in History
LanguageEnglish
ASIN# B0BG14PNPY

AUTHOR‘S BIO: JENNIFER VANDERBES

Jennifer Vanderbes is an author who has also worked as a journalist and screenwriter. Her written work has been translated into sixteen different languages. Her work can ce found in such august publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Granta, and Best New American Voices have all featured her writing. She has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her work on Wonder Drug earned her the title of NEH Public Scholar.

Vanderbes is a distinguished author whose literary works are known for their depth and sensitivity in dealing with complex historical and ethical issues. Her educational background at Yale and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop has equipped her with the tools to explore and articulate intricate narratives. Vanderbes has consistently demonstrated her literary prowess, beginning with her acclaimed debut, “Easter Island,” and continuing through her subsequent works. Her ability to intertwine emotional depth with historical accuracy has earned her numerous accolades and a respected place in contemporary literature.

SYNOPSIS

“Wonder Drug” by Jennifer Vanderbes was intended to be a biography of Dr. Claire Shipley. However, Vanderbes’ compelling narrative focuses on the titular character of Dr. Frances Kelsey and her diligent efforts and investigation that exposed Thalidomide’s dangerous side effects and far-ranging complications. What began as a biography quickly transformed into an examination of the ‘miracle drug’ Thalidomide and revealed a trail of dirty tricks that exposed the deeply disturbing machinations, misinformation, and disinformation by a large and influential pharmaceutical company. 

Initially touted as a sleep aid, a risk-free sedative, and safe even for children, Chemie Grünenthal released Thalidomide under the trade name Contergan. It was later mass-marketed as an antiemetic for morning sickness relief. The chemical company utilized post-war Nazi scientists to synthesize Thalidomide. 

In 1962, the drug was on the verge of completing the licensing process to authorize its use in the USA. The drug may have caused serious harm if it weren’t for the commendable efforts of doctor Frances Kelsey from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She wisely denied permission to sell the drug until the distributor, William Merrill Company, thoroughly tested it.

Thalidomide was already used in 46 other countries and would eventually become available in 50. Doctor Kelsey’s action was instrumental in limiting the devastating outcomes in different nations. Thus, through her attention to detail and proactive stance, she minimized the disturbing birth defects of the drug, effects that included miscarriages, stillbirths, limb malformations, deafness, blindness, and internal disabilities.  

Kelsey’s robust and conscientious efforts revealed the horrific reality that there was evidence of government and corporate pharmaceutical organizations engaged in a cover-up to conceal the drug’s ability to cause life-limiting severe birth abnormalities. The proof that she revealed was so compelling that she felt obliged to block the release of Thalidomide in the USA.

Vanerbes excoriates both the government and big pharma’s involvement that led to tragic and avoidable consequences. What follows is a titanic fight that ends with Vanerbes challenging the specious machinations of the drug company, resulting in the empowerment of the victims of Thalidomide.

CONCLUSION

In “Wonder Drug,” Jennifer Vanderbes masterfully confronts the Thalidomide tragedy, offering a poignant and in-depth exploration of its far-reaching consequences. Her portrayal is not just a historical recounting but a deeply empathetic narrative that gives voice to the survivors and their families. The book is a stark reminder of the ethical responsibilities of scientific advancement and the profound impact of medical negligence.

Vanderbes’s writing is both powerful and poignant, capturing the tragedy of Thalidomide with a sensitivity that resonates with the reader. She skillfully balances the narrative between the scientific aspects of the drug’s development and the deeply personal stories of those affected. “Wonder Drug” is a significant work that highlights a dark chapter in medical history and honors the resilience and courage of Thalidomide survivors. This biography is a testament to Vanderbes’s ability to tackle challenging subjects gracefully and empathetically, cementing her status as an important voice in contemporary literature. This expanded review provides a deeper insight into the thematic exploration of the Thalidomide disaster in “Wonder Drug,” underscoring Jennifer Vanderbes’s skill in handling complex and sensitive historical issues with empathy and depth.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

book review, Litercurious Archives, Medical Ethics, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction

THE RED MARKET – REVIEW

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The Red Market - Scott Carney
TitleThe Red Market: On the Trail of the World’s
Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers,
and Child Traffickers
AuthorScott Carney
PublisherHarper Collins e-books; Illustrated edition
(May 31, 2011)
FormatKindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
Page272
GenreAnatomy, Physician & Patient Medical Ethics,
Business Ethics
LanguageEnglish
ASINASIN : B004FEF6OW

A trade that exists on the boundaries of what is considered ethical, moral and legal. Scott Carney’s investigation exposes the inequity and abuse of the current systems as they relate to the market in human genetic material that include whole body sales of adults, children and babies. Litercurious.com

AUTHOR

Scott Carney is an investigative journalist, author and anthropologist, as well as the creative talent behind of such notable works as: The Enlightenment Trap, What Doesn’t Kill Us’, The Wedge and The Vortex.

SYNOPSIS

For more than a century, graves have turned up empty across the Indian countryside; the bodies sold abroad as anatomical skeletons. Until recently the trade was so extensive that just about every classroom skeleton in America is rumored to have come from India.

The Red Market is a look at the contemporary markets for human sourced materials and their uses. It examines the cultural, sociological, moral and ethical aspects of an increasing market in everything from human organs to humans themselves; and everything in-between. Carney reflects on the disparity and inequity of the trade in human genetic materials and the methods used by ‘richer’ nations to harvest from the poorest people.

Carney initiates a sobering self-appraisal of the financial worth of his own body on the Red Market. He shares with us that the value of his physical being is approximately a quarter of a million US Dollars. From his skeleton to his plasma and from his corneas to his heart, he calculates the possible income from the sale of his body. He explains why the ‘Red Market’ is booming across the world; a trade that Carney estimates to be calculated in billions of dollars.

Carney addresses the critical nature of the many people who are unable to receive donated organs in the West. Due to legal hurdles, these people often travel to such diverse locations as India or China to exploit the poverty of those nations citizens. Through middle men who tend to make the greatest financial profit from every transaction, they purchase their organs on the ‘Red Market.’ The huge demand for human sourced materials combined with the wealth that can be earned, encourages the unscrupulous and the criminal element. Thus ensuring the donor receives the lowest possible amount of compensation; often without appropriate post-care support.

Whilst most procurements are abhorrent, the sales are more often than not legal and sanctioned due to the implicit moral argument that it is to save human life. Any hint of criminal activity is concealed from the glare of publicity behind a veil of altruistic propaganda. Carney notes that Western attitudes to such things as organ donations for transplants create an unhealthy one-way market. Flesh donations only move up the social classes and never down in an inherently inequitable system. Carney opines that the donors are doubly disadvantaged. There is no benefit to the donor beyond a small financial incentive, and they face only disadvantages as a result of their misguided altruism.

The Red Market is essentially a peak behind the hidden world of organs and human genetic materials donations and the trade in children internationally. A trade that exists on the boundaries of what is considered ethical, moral and legal. Scott Carney’s investigation exposes the inequity and abuse of the current systems as they relate to the market in human genetic material that include whole body sales of adults, children and babies.

CONCLUSION

I realize many may be unaware that a human genetic source market exists or possess any knowledge of just how lucrative a business it is. If you are healthy, you probably never even consider it at all; unless you have a friend, family member or an associate with a condition that requires medical intervention. We never think about the significant life challenges that might ensue for the donor and their family. It prompts the question, in my mind, of what are the limits of responsibility that the recipient has to the donor. The laws that prevent the recipient from knowing who provided their life-extending genetic material, also prevents appropriate post-operative care for the donor.

There are some who are awaiting for the alternatives known as xenotransplantation; transplanted organs that come from animals rather than from humans. One thing seems apparent, with the increasing aging population, the demand for a vast range of human based medical interventions is likely to expand. In any economy, scarcity drives the price and according to Carney the current system only benefits those with significant resources; to the detriment of those least likely to benefit from the trade.

Whilst the subject is sometimes grim, disturbing and alarming, I am still delighted that I took the time to read it. There is a lot to digest here, and I took a long time before producing this review. The weight of the subject lays heavy on your heart and it is a struggle to remain objective and dispassionate. You may find The Red Market a challenging page turner. However, I expect the real-life stories will touch you and remain with you long after you have put the book away.

If you enjoy reading The Red Market, I strongly recommend you equally consider reading The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones. Although the two publications cover many of same ethical dilemmas, they approach the subjects from very different time frames and stand-points. The Organ Thieves provides a broader historic perspective on the topic. It is invaluable in advancing an understanding of the ethical complexities of the subject handed down from the past to the present day.

Read our review of The Organ Thieves here.

The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Scott Carney, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review The Red Market: On the Trail of the World’s Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers, and Child Traffickers.

OTHER WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR

Scott Carney The Enlightenment Trap
Scott Carney The Wedge
Scott Carney What Doesn’t Kill Us
Scott Carney On Diamond Mountain

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The Organ Thieves – REVIEW

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Biographies of Scientists, Biography, Biology, book review, Educational, History, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Science, Scientists Biographies, Women's biographies

Written in bone – Review

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Litercurious Book Review

Written in Bone by Sue Black
Written in Bone by Sue Black
TitleWritten in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We
Leave Behind
AuthorSue Black
PublisherArcade (June 1, 2021)
FormatKindle, Paperback, Hardcover
Pages336
GenreUnabridged Adult Non-Fiction, Biographies
of Scientists, Scientist Biographies, Women’s
Biographies, Biology
LanguageEnglish
ASIN #B08LDYKCGM

#Biographies of Scientists #Biology #Scientist Biographies #Women’s Biographies #Forensic Anthropology #Anatomy #Forensic Science #Forensic Anthropology #Forensics

“Dark, mysterious, and enlightening; Written in the Bone is as satisfying as it is truly disturbing; with a shocking personal revelation that comes out of no-where. “

N, Nemo Litercurious.com

AUTHOR

Professor Dame Sue Black DBE, FBA, FRSE, FRCP, FRAI

SYNOPSIS

Written in Bone could be the best non-fiction book you will read this year. A colorful non-fiction dive into the anatomy of crime and all that remains.

Dame Sue Black’s outlines her career as a Forensic Anthropologist (FA) investigating human and non-human remains as well as her work as a professional expert in criminal cases. She cleverly utilizes the skeleton as a roadmap of clinical and not so clinical facts in her investigations. She references historic accounts, such as the one involving Doctor Buck Ruxton who murdered his wife and housekeeper. The investigation that followed utilized some seminal forensic techniques, a number of which are still utilized today by forensic anthropologists.

Black manages to weave scientific fact with legal imperatives against the backdrop of horrific violence that leaves its mark on the bones. A work that is simultaneously chilling and compelling in equal measure. Written in Bone is a skillfully constructed dissection of the human skeleton from zygote [DIPLOID] to birth and on unto death. Black’s book divides the skeleton into three sections beginning with the head, followed by the body, and finally the limbs. She further sub-divides the sections into their constituent parts. Using forensic techniques both new and old, she was a member of an international scientific team that investigated some of the most horrific crimes in our time; including the War Crimes in Bosnia, and the tortures and executions in Syria.

CONCLUSION

Written in Bone is a real life forensic detective account, a tutorial on the human skeleton and a Forensic Anthropologist’s (FA) biography of an incredible career. It is neither dry nor stultifying and contains first-person examples of evil crimes and their terrible tragedies. Written in Bone puts the profession of the FA front and centre instead of in the shadows that the profession once inhabited. There is a consistent message from the author that FA’s should always follow the evidence rather than unsupported assumptions.

Written in Bone manages to convey the reader into the world of the FA in a way never seen before. Hard cold facts meet the warmth of humanity on the frontline of the war on crime. It is accompanied by gallows humor and some slight irreverence for those experts that strayed into the field of FA, and fell flat on their face.

Black’s narrative manages, throughout, to maintain the interest of the reader. She imparts her personality with the imprint. A genuinely remarkable work of non-fiction and definitely one for the true crime community. No true crime library would be complete without a copy of Written in Bone, by Sue Black. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank, Professor Dame Sue Black, NetGalley, and Arcade Publishing for affording me the opportunity to review Written in Bone.

OTHER WORK BY THIS AUTHOR

All that Remains by Sue Black Non-Fiction Adult Scientists Biographies Forensic Anthropology
All that Remains by Sue Black Adult Non-Fiction Unabridged Pathology of Forensic Medicine Biographies of Scientists

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The report download below is mentioned in Written in Bone, it contains details of torture and should only be viewed with discretion. This material is NOT suitable for for children. View at your own discretion.

WARNING THIS REPORT MENTIONED IN THE ABOVE BOOK CONTAINS IMAGES THAT ARE UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR THOSE OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION!

REPORT TITLE: A Report  into the credibility of certain evidence with regard to Torture and Execution of Persons Incarcerated by the current Syrian regime
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book review, Educational, Medical Science, Non-Fiction, Science, Zoology

HOW TO CLONE A MAMMOTH – Review

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A LITERCURIOUS BOOK REVIEW

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Title How To Clone A Mammoth
Author Beth Shapiro
Publisher Princeton University Press (April 6, 2015)
Format Hardcover, Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
Pages 220
Language English
ISBN # 0691157057 (ISBN-13: 978-0691157054)

AUTHOR

Beth Shapiro is literally a genius: at least that is what the administrators of the MacArthur Fellowship, known by some as The Genius Fund, believe. Most of us would be pleased with that alone, but Beth is resplendent with titles, honors, and holds a DPhil from Oxford; the University not the library. She is a Rhodes Scholar and has worked for some of the premier companies and organizations in the world; which includes the Welcome Trust where she became the Director of the Henry Welcome Biomolecules Centre. Her specialty is in Molecular Biology and Evolution

Beth is no Dodo, but she has analyzed its mitochondrial DNA. She is the author of a plethora of scientific publications.

Her Doctoral Thesis citation is: Shapiro, Beth, and A. J. Cooper. Inferring Evolutionary History and Processes Using Ancient DNA (2003). I did try to obtain a copy of her thesis but it is in a closed stack at Oxford’s store house and is currently unavailable except by request.

The Author spoke at TEDx conference in March 2013. I have included a link to the recent TEDx Conference “De-Extinction” for anyone who feels the book might be for right for them but still wants more information. If you visit the site you will hear directly from Beth Shapiro and what she is currently working on when she isn’t writing epic books.

https://reviverestore.org/events/tedxdeextinction/

THE BOOK

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is the greatest favor you will ever do to your intellect; no small praise.

This book is a distillation of decades of education rolled up in occasional irreverent humor and suffused with hard science. No, not the kind of science you had in grade school where the Biology Master lorded over you because you were more ignorant than he or she. Beth Shapiro doesn’t assume any pre-knowledge of the subject matter yet she infuses you the with facts and her enthusiasm.

I am going to be honest, even if you hated science as a child you will still enjoy this book. You will learn the fundamentals of the science of De-Extinction. The gamut in this text is huge, spanning a myriad of scientific disciplines over decades of study in the field of re-animation of the extinct – the Lazarus of our time.

While this subject is a weighty one, the delivery is not. I would compare it to a fine wine or exquisite champagne. It is full flavored, heavy on the heady stuff, and lingers on long after the taste has disappeared.

I struggle to find a comparison here in terms of the authors style. There have been some who compare Beth Shapiro to a Mary Roach. Whilst I chow down on Mary Roach with her sometimes pithily style, I slowly savor the heady mix of the leading new science of Beth Shapiro. The multitudinal cross over of disciplines that are woven together by Beth creates a masterpiece of scientific literature. Never heard of epigenetics? You will here; and you will come away with an appreciation of the enormity of this vast, complicated, and ethically challenging subject of re-birthing the dead.

Bob the builder says “we can do this,” but Beth asks “should we do this?” Should we? Is it ethical to bring back long dead animals in a world struggling with scarce resources? What about the risks versus the rewards? These are questions that Beth takes head on. In a TEDx conference, she expresses her reluctance in some aspects of the potential issues relating to the cloning of extinct species. The book does not dwell on the negative; its focus is on the how, rather than the why.

Perhaps we should talk about who the book isn’t for. If you suffer from Post Traumatic Study Dysmorphia (PTSd) this book may not rock your world.

I know that most people have no current knowledge of Mammon Telophase, but they will if they give this book some attention. I know there are some who could care less if an elephant has a self repairing hymen – yes that is true! What I hope readers take from this review about How to Clone a Mammoth is this technology will impact your life. Once Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Computing, and De-Extinction technology combine, our world will never be the same; ever. This book is your opportunity to start learning just how much this new science will impact you and yours for all future generations.

This is worse than a “Honey, the kids have found the matches” situation; it’s a “Honey, the kids have found the key to Pandora’s Box and they are about to open it” situation.

I cannot express to you the importance of this work. If you never read another book, you need to read this one; and then read all the associated information. This isn’t a pseudoscience idea; it is absolutely real and time is short. As the apex predator, we have impacted our environment and believe that we have contained it; brought it too heel, so to speak. However, the potential for a ‘monster’ we cannot put back in the box that: outperforms us, outlives us, or outkills us is a genuine possibility.

URL: https://press.princeton.edu/titles/10415.html

Literary Awards: https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/34115-aaas-subaru-sb-f-prize-for-excellence-in-science-books

Also by this Author: Ancient DNA: Methods and Protocols (Shapiro, Beth and Michael Hofreiter) Published (2012)

 

book review, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Reference Works

50 SUCCESSFUL HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ESSAYS – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

Title50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays
Author(s)Staff of the Harvard Crimson
PublisherSt. Martin’s Griffin (8 June, 2020
FormatKindle, Paperback
Pages240
LanguageEnglish
ISBN# 10/131250244471 / 978-1250244475

AUTHOR

The Harvard Crimson is a non-profit student run newspaper at Harvard University. You can find out more about it here.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

Applicants for pre-eminent Medical School Universities.

SYNOPSIS

The “Personal Statement” has been an intrinsic part of the British Ivy league universities since the late 1980s. Their purpose was to separate the hard empirical scores presented in examination results from the candidates soft character traits. Those traits form an important part of the selection process for medical school. These soft characteristics include the candidates experiences, motivations, and suitability to train in the medical field.

The Medical Profession requires particular requirements. The prospective student must have a combination of technical and scientific knowledge; as well as being personable, approachable, compassionate and have fine interpersonal communication skills.

Admission boards use the personal statement in addition to the applicants grade point averages to asses their level of maturity, communication skills and their critical thinking ability.

Prospective applicants often make the critical mistake of misunderstanding the importance of their personal statement. It is part of the wider selection metrics; such as their past academic performance, reference letter or personal interview. Yet the personal statement forms arguably their best opportunity to make a winning impression. This is where 50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays becomes an excellent resource for those wishing to create effective applications that could give them the key to acceptance into the hallowed halls of medical school academia.

50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays can enhance the likelihood of success through improvements to your personal statement preparation. The Staff of the Harvard Crimson provides the reader with 50 real-world examples of previously successful applicants. They highlight the myriad of key traits that the medical school selection committee will be looking for, such as:

Motivation

Empathy

Honesty

Enthusiasm

Commitment

Humor

Perseverance

Compassion

Emotional Stability

Each of the 50 essays has an analysis with helpful recommendations and explanations of the qualities that hold the greatest value to the selection committee. 50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays will provide an advantage in your application process. I was happy to see that the editors made it clear that the process gives students with lower MCAT grades access to top medical schools. 50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays does this by alerting the prospective applicant to the importance of a well-rounded character; educationally, socially, emotionally and psychologically. These traits are required to face the rigors of the medical school assault course.

CONCLUSION

50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays is filled with important advice for anyone wishing to enhance their probability of receiving a placement offer at a leading medical institution. It provides practical guidance on how to approach a personal statement in order to make the best impression and showcase the desired characteristics universities are looking for.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank The Staff of the Harvard Crimson, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Griffin for affording me the opportunity to review 50 Successful Harvard Medical School Essays.

book review, Litercurious Archives, Medical Science, Non-Fiction, Plague of Corruption, Science

PLAGUE OF CORRUPTION -REVIEW

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LITERCURIOUS BOOK REVIEW

TitlePlague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the
Promise of Science
AuthorKent Heckenlively; Judy Mikovits
PublisherSkyhorse (March 3, 2020)
FormatKindle, Hardcover
Page264
LanguageEnglish     
ISBN #1510752242 / 978-1510752245

AUTHOR’S BIO

http://plaguethebook.com/about/

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE

This published work is appropriate for all those who wish to properly understand the competing influences in Medicine and the Pharmaceutical Industries.

SYNOPSIS

Heckenlively and Mikovits have produced an excellent primer for anyone who seeks the truth of corruption in Big Pharma.

Dr. Judy Mikovits is an extraordinary polymath and an incredibly accomplished medical researcher. She made her mark in the scientific community with her findings that led to changes in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection (HIV), and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Dr. Mikovits is a recognized leading scientist.

Problems began for Dr. Mikovits when she challenged the use of animal tissue in medical research that was producing diseases in their human patients. 

Dr. Mikovits tells her story of almost 40 years of experience in the research science field. She describes her professional association over three decades with the one of the co-founders of the discipline of Human Retrovirology, Dr. F. Ruscetti.

CONCLUSION

It is a rare thing indeed for a doctor to endanger her integrity, professional standing, and reputation to champion a cause. Dr. Mikovits had much to lose and yet her morals demanded that she reveal the truth. I genuinely sympathize with her precarious position and admire her commitment to science. 

This manuscript does possess its detractors, and I have seen some extreme reviews that based their views on partial information. In my opinion this was a book that was required to correct the current situation in Medicine and the Pharmaceutical Industries. I heartily recommend this work to you, if you are willing to suspend your disbelief. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My sincere thanks go to: Kent Heckenlively and Judy Mikovit (Authors), NetGalley, and the Publisher Skyhorse for affording me the opportunity to review Plague of Corruption.

book review, Medical Science, Non-Fiction, Science

The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior, Ivan Fuchs, M.D.
Title The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior
Author Ivan Fuchs
Publisher Radius Book Group (April 19, 2019)
Format Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook     
Page 604     
Language English     
ISBN #10 /#13 9781635766011  / 9781635766011     

“This book is an attempt to explain some of the phylogenetic mechanisms that brought about in humans the innate liability of developing varied forms of dysfunctional or maladaptive behavior, the graver of which are categorized as mental disorders.” The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Functional Behavior. (Fuchs, 2019, LOC 104).

Prescient

Please note, if you are not a psychiatric professional read the summary and then go to the Synopsis and take a look at the diagram I have provided for your understanding. If you are a mental heath professional please read on.

Author’s Bio

Dr. Ivan Fuchs is the author of The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior. Dr. Fuchs retired after 3 decades of experience gained from working as a Practitioner of Clinical Psychiatry. Originally from Hungary, Dr. Fuchs emigrated to Israel early in his career where he currently resides today with his family.  

“In my opinion, these mechanisms, or more exactly, their extreme poles on a diversified scale (as a result of relaxation of natural selective pressures), constitute the inherited foundations of most common mental disorders.” (Fuchs, 2019, LOC 209).

Who is the audience for this textbook?

Dr. Ivan Fuchs forms a thesis in The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior. Dr. Fuchs based his theory on his extensive professional experience; principally psychiatry, knowledge of biology, genetics, and primatology. Dr. Fuchs thesis is not peer reviewed or published in any professional scientific journals. Dr. Fuchs expresses doubt that this publication will have broad appeal and he believes that it will fall into a narrow niche’ primarily for medical professionals. Those most likely to benefit from reading Dr. Fuchs theory would be: Professional Mental Health Clinicians and Researchers; Research Fellows, Students of Psychological Medicine; Researchers of Psychiatric Medicine; Students of Psychiatry, and Clinical Psychiatrists interested in this evolving subject.

Synopsis

Due to the complexity of the Fuchs theory and the myriad of related co-dependencies, I have chosen to focus on the key concepts of his treaty. I’ve done this in order to minimize extraneous issues and to simplify the review to enhance understanding for the reader.

In brief, the author of The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior posits that there are two separate and distinct Natural Selection Pressures that have influenced human development over Phylogenetic Period. The Selective Pressures are the Active and Reactive Mechanisms of Mental Disorders.

Natural Selection Pressures

1. Active Mechanisms of Mental Disorders

Consisting of three key mechanisms; these are as follows:

  1. Forces of Natural Selection
  2. Intra-group Natural Selection Pressures (IGNSP’s)
  3. Late Stage of Human Evolution; Post Agricultural Revolution 10,000 years ago.

2. Reactive Mechanisms of Mental Disorders

4. Relaxation from Natural Selective Pressures due to genetically diverse factors including but not exclusive to: Cross cultural breeding, advances in democracy, proliferation of technology, and interbreeding.

Dr Fuchs volume does not contain any illustrations or models of his theory, so I have created one here to aid the reader in understanding his central concept.

Geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky “It is possible and indeed probable, that occupational differences between human populations usher in some correlated genetic differences” (Dobzhansky, 1962, p. 250). And: “When the environment is highly diversified, as it is in civilized societies, all these genotypes may find suitable opportunities.” (Dobzhansky, 1962, p. 250).

Dr. Fuchs proposes that the relaxation from Sexual Selection Pressures also have influence vis-à-vis the “Good Genes Hypothesis: (Buss, 2008, pp. 190-191), as well as “minor Marriage” custom of third-world cultures (Wilson, 1998, p. 175), where decisions relating to marriage are not made by the couple, but controlled by some authority figure often for the financial benefit of the bride’s family in the form of a dowry. Dr. Fuchs observes that only humans and some primates share aberrant behaviors and responses to Evolutionary Mechanisms. He also postulates that over time incidences and varieties of mental health disorders have increased in humanity arising from the Reactive Evolutionary Forces.

“To my knowledge no evidence exists that the human genome is changing in any overall direction. The big story in recent human evolution is not directional change, not natural selection at all, but homogenization through immigration and interbreeding. Its main consequence is the gradual erasure of previous racial differences. It also increases the range of individual variations within the population and across the entire species. Many more combinations of skin color, facial features, talents, and other traits influenced by genes, are new arising than ever existed before. Variance increases, the extremes are extended new forms of hereditary genius and pathology are more likely to arise.” (Wilson, 1998, pp. 271-273, emphasis added).

Conclusion

The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior by Dr. Ivan Fuchs is likely to be best received by medical professionals. Due to a combination of the complexity and virgin science nature of the subject, there will likely be limited interest from the laity. The appeal could be increased through the utilization of diagrams, images, lists, tables, and chronology; as well as empirical evidence. 

This book is based more on Dr. Fuchs opinion rather than on The Scientific Method. The complete lack of peer review papers, the absence of empirical and other supportive data impedes its worth. However, the theory is an interesting and challenging one. As with many books of its type it provides a very dry read. This dryness could be ameliorated through appropriate use of graphic enhancements. I also noticed a great deal of repetition within the text. The repetition Dr. Fuchs states is an aid to impress elements of his theory in the mind of the reader. 

I found the scattered nature of the sections in this book added to the difficulty of understanding the underlying theory. There was a lack of flow that created confusion at times; not due to the subject matter or the jargon but arising out of the jumps across multiple chapters. I found run-on sentences and the generally poor use of punctuation and grammar impeded the enjoyment of reading. The combination of writing style, lack of infographics, and poor punctuation made this book a beast to read. Happily, these limitations are easily remedied with the aid of a competent editor. To the editor please include a glossary of medical terms for the uninitiated.

Summary

For the layperson, this book discusses the opinions of Dr. Fuchs. In short, the idea is that in the past humanity and some primates collaborated on the basis of natural selection. This natural selection changed across time from Active to a Relaxation of the forces (pressures) that had earlier shaped humanity. In the later stage (Relaxation Phase) the pressures changed by external factors such as technology and interbreeding. As a result, there is speculated to be an increase in the number and variations of mental health disorders. It is also expected that there will be an increase in the numbers of geniuses and other gifted humans. The concept is interesting and challenges traditional theories. If you are interested in this topic, I would wait for the illustrated and re-edited version.   

Suggested Reading

Bake, M. (1998) Darwin’s Black Box: The biochemical challenge to evolution. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Sadock’s comprehensive textbook of psychiatry, 8th Ed., Col. 1 Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-lll) (Fuchs, (2019), LOC 3747). Link to the entire manual: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3176302/  

P. R Adoriaens &A. De Black (eds.), Maladapting minds: Philosophy, psychiatry, & Evolutionary theory. Oxford. OxfordUniversity Press.

Daly, M., & Wilson, M. (1995) The Man Who Mistook his Wife For a Chattel.

Perry, S. (2011). Manipulative monkeys: The capuchins of Lima’s Barbuda. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Acknowledgment

My sincere thanks go to: The Author, NetGalley, and the Publisher, for affording me the opportunity to review of The Evolutionary Mechanism of Human Dysfunctional Behavior.

book review, Humor, Litercurious Archives, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Science

THIS IS GOING TO HURT – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

This Is going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of A Junior Doctor
Title This Is Going To Hurt
Author Adam Kay
Publisher Picador (Feb 20, 2020)
Format Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover, and Audiobook     
Page 80     
Language English     
ISBN # 1509858636 ISBN #-13 (9781529034035)     

Author’s Bio

This is Going to Hurt was written by Adam Kay. In this book he shares his personal anecdotes as a doctor working in the British National Health Service (NHS) during early 2000s. His recollections come from a diary he kept, detailing the ups and downs of life on the wards. Kay was inspired to write this book after a senior member of the government had made a claim that junior doctors, expecting to work less than 79 hours per week, were greedy. In This is Going to Hurt, Kay shows us the extremes of being a young doctor in the modern NHS. 

Who is the Target Audience?

This is Going to Hurt is suitable for all those interested professionals or amateurs who find the life of doctors to be scintillating reading. Kay doesn’t spare us the gritty facts of life of a junior doctor and later a Senior Registrar. In this book there are some really funny tales and some truly dreadful stories of life and death. If you enjoy blood and guts descriptions of desperately sad and appalling ends, then you may enjoy the wild ride hanging on the white coat tails of Dr. Kay. If you are British, you may also gain a greater appreciation for the young medics that you interact with during your health visits. 

Synopsis

The most significant part of This is Going to Hurt is dedicated to the abuse and neglect that many doctors are exposed to working within the British NHS. Dr. Kay discloses the scarcity of essential amenities required for proper medical care in the NHS. He explains the long hours of unpaid work forced upon doctors. He describes the lack of sleep and the abandonment of family, friends, and holidays. Worst of all, he describes how the enumeration is woefully inadequate for the myriad of drawbacks. Ultimately, after long periods of neglect by his employers a life altering incident prompts a change in his thinking and eventually leads him on a new path.

Conclusion

Adam gives us a view of the true life of a doctor on the wards of a British NHS hospital. He reminds us that doctors are only human. They are not infallible; they need love, care, and respect as we all do. They have the failings we all share and he prompts us to realize that. Most of all he wants us to understand that neglecting those who care for us is dreadful and that we should value and cherish the sacrifices; social, financial and psychological that doctors working in the NHS endure to provide you with world class health service.

Acknowledgment

My sincere thanks go to: NetGalley, and Picador for affording me the opportunity to review This is Going to Hurt.

book review, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Reference Works, Regenerative Medicine, Science

STEM CELLS IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine by Mike K. S. Chan & Dmitry Klokol
Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine by Mike K. S. Chan & Dmitry Klokol

Comprehensive review coming soon.

Title Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine:
Carpe Diem – Carpe Vitam!
Author Mike K. S. Chan, Dmitry Klokol
Publisher Matador (July 31, 2019)
Format Kindle     
Page 551     
Language English     
ASIN # B07VVL2MS7     

Brief Synopsis

Quote: “The goal is to provide a once in a lifetime treatment to correct a specific medical deficit.”

Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine Carpe Diem-Carpe Vital! (July 31, 2019).

This is a seminal monograph on the subject of the therapeutic application and use of stem cells in “regenerative medicine.” The science described within the pages of this text may be leading edge, but Chan and Klokol have attempted to keep the information accessible to the average reader. However, in some parts the comprehension of the complex science may be challenging. Research scientists and students of medical research may gain the greatest benefits of this work.

The text guides you through the multiple applications of the utilization of Stem Cells and the medical illnesses that may be treated by the use of ‘Xenogeneic Cell Therapy.’ The authors posit the limitations and benefits of the scientific method as it relates explicitly to its use in human subjects. There is a brief description of xenotransplantation in the treatment of cells requiring regenerative assistance in a range of degenerative conditions through cross-species donated cells. Significant importance is placed in the use of cross-species hosts to be Scientific Pathogen Free Animals (SPF – Animals) through the use of ‘Closed Colony’ and proven clinical methods.

Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine describes the merits, the problemata, and the detailed methodologies of regenerative therapies. The book is replete with beautiful color illustrations that includes the Cell Cycle and the illustrations of the Noble Prize Winner, Günter Blobel, for Physiology or Medicine in 1999. His thesis is on how the distribution mechanism of biological active transport cells migrate, how proteins contain signals inside that direct their location in a destination cell, and how they are transported and where they may migrate to.

I found the Chronology of the development of stem cell research and application to be compelling reading.

Simply the most comprehensive book on the subject of Stem Cells as applied in ‘regenerative medicine,’ and most certainly the best illustrated. The illustrations combined with Chan and Klokol‘s vivid written communication provides you with an invaluable tool in comprehending the ground breaking subject of Stem Cell Therapy.

book review, History, Humor, Litercurious Archives, Litercurious Archives, Medical Science, Non-Fiction, Reference Works, Science

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

The Mystery Of The Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities From The History of Medicine, Thomas Morris
Title The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other
Curiosities from the History of Medicine
Author / Narrator Thomas Morris / Ruper Farley
Publisher Penguin Dutton; 1 edition (Nov 20, 2018)
Format Unabridged Audiobook, Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover
Time9 hours and 7 minutes
Language English     
ASIN # B07K1FC2C1  

AUTHOR

Thomas Morris was a successful radio producer for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) for many years. He is now a freelance writer and medical historian. His first book, The Matter of the Heart: A History of the Heart in Eleven Operations, wonthe Royal Society of Literature and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation award. The award is one of three annual awards, one of £10,000 and two of £5,000, offered to authors on their first works of non-fiction. Mr. Morris now lives in London.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

This book is for everyone 16 or older. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth is written for the masses and not just for those who want to learn about historic medicine. The book is full of individual cases hand-picked through time to provide the reader with a glimpse of common medical procedures, some uncommon medical procedures, and allot of very interesting cases.

SYNOPSIS

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine, is a sojourn into some of the most interesting medical cases and the procedures used in those cases. It is told through the eyes of the people who were actually there. This book is a conglomeration of notes, letters, personal views of the doctors, and sometimes the patients. The author does a great job of finding the most interesting cases in history. There are some interesting cases that include various items escaping the bodies from all different places, some not very good places. How about the surgeries where the patient is not anesthetized and is an active participant? There is a chapter of patients who survived extreme injuries, some lived normal lives after their injuries.

CONCLUSION

After reading this book, I listened to the audible version and the narrator added so much more to the enjoyment. He does a great job with the inflection of his voice and the bits that are in French. The little jokes he throws in are awesome. This tome, at times, had me laughing, cringing, crying, and always wondering about the historic doctors and their sometime weird practices. The cases offer a wide variety of injuries and maladies; the causes of some of these will haunt me. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.

SIMILAR WORKS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Dr. Mütter Marvels by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz #Medicine History & Commentary #History of Medicine #Trivia & Fun Facts

Dr. Mütter’s Marvels was established by Dr. Mütter who sadly died prematurely at the age of 48. He left behind an immense collection of medical oddities that form the basis of Philadelphia’s renowned Mütter Museum. Dr Mütter’s Marvel by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is an insight into the dedicated surgeon’s career as well as his life and times. Aptowicz presents her view on Dr. Mütter’s medical practices and the prejudices he witnessed. Aptowicz draws upon Mütter’s speeches and lectures which reveals his humanist based approach.

Mütter Museum: Historical Medical Photographs Is a cornucopia of high quality photographs taken by professional photographers. Between the 1860s and the 1940s, photographers took pictures of these oddities as records for physicians to share among medical colleagues. They also functioned, at the time, to demonstrate various techniques used in medicine such as micrography and X-ray. During the earliest days, they utilized the method of photography known as the daguerreotype. This processing method required the photographer to polish a sheet of copper plate with silver halide coated to a mirror finish, and treat it with fumes that made its surface light sensitive. There is much more to the Mütter Museum however, and it is not for the squeamish.

Mütter Museum Historical Medical Photographs #Medicine History & Commentary #History of Medicine #Trivia & Fun Facts