An in-depth look at the mavericks, moments, and mistakes that sparked the greatest medical discoveries in modern times—plus the cures that will help us live longer and healthier lives in this century . . . and beyond.
Human history hinges on the battle to confront our most dangerous enemies—the half-dozen diseases responsible for killing almost all of mankind. And while the story of our triumphs over these afflictions reveals an inspiring tapestry of human achievement, the journey was far from smooth.
In
The Masters of Medicine
, Dr. Andrew Lam distills the long arc of medical progress down to the crucial moments that were responsible for the world’s greatest medical miracles.
Discover fascinating true stories of scientists and doctors throughout history, including:
Rival surgeons who killed patient after patient in their race to operate on beating hearts—and put us on the path toward the
heart transplant
A quartet of Canadians whose miraculous discovery of
insulin
was marred by jealousy and resentment
The doctors who discovered
penicillin
, but were robbed of the credit
The feud between two Americans in the quest for the
polio vaccine
A New York surgeon whose “heretical” idea to cure patients by deliberately infecting them has now inspired our next-best hope to defeat
cancer
A Hungarian doctor who solved the greatest mystery of maternal deaths in
childbirth
, only to be ostracized for his discovery
is a fascinating chronicle of human courage, audacity, error, and luck. This riveting ode to mankind reveals why the past is prelude to the game-changing breakthroughs of tomorrow.