Medical Firsts From Hippocrates to the Human Genome [Hardcover]

An exploration of medical discoveries-from the ancient Greeks to the present
Always help, or at least do no harm. Following this simple yet revolutionary idea, Hippocrates laid the foundation for modern medicine over two millennia ago. From the Hippocratic Oath to the human genome, from Pasteur's germ theory to the worldwide eradication of smallpox, Medical Firsts brings to life 2,500 years of medical advances and discoveries. Organized chronologically, the book describes each milestone in a vivid capsule history, making it a fascinating and wonderfully readable resource for anyone interested in medicine's past progress and future promise.
Robert E. Adler, PhD (Santa Rosa, CA) has worked as a psychologist and science journalist. He writes about a wide variety of scientific and medical topics for New Scientist, Nature, and other publications and is the author of Science Firsts (0-471-40174-9).

* “Adler writes enthusiastically and engagingly about his subjects…” (British Medical Journal, 2nd October 2004)

“A valuable edition to a thriving scientific literary genre, this is a tour de force of medicine’s chequered history.” (Good Book Guide, June 2004)

“This is a ‘must read’ book for any with an interest in medical history.” (Country Doctor, June 2004)

In this cursory though delightful companion to his previousScience Firsts, Adler ably combines good storytelling, clear and cogent scientific explanations, a respect for science over superstition and a love of what he sees as one of humanity’s “finest and most difficult” arts: “the application of medical knowledge to individual human beings like you and me.” Through short, chronologically arranged histories of individuals who have defined medicine, Adler presents a compelling narrative arc from Hippocrates’ dream of “human mastery of health and disease” to cl³¨