Science and the Quiet Art

Has medical science failed the modern world? A decade ago few would have entertained the thought, for science had cured many of the great killers of the past - smallpox, polio, diptheria - and moderated others. And yet we seem in many ways at a medical dead-end; having banished one set of ills we are faced with other quite intractable diseases - heart attacks, strokes, cancer, arthritis, psychiatric disorders, and AIDS. What is the truth of it? How far has science come from Hippocrates to recombinant DNA? Who were the great medical scientists of the past? What can their history of struggle against disease tell us about the future of medicine? David Weatherall has written a brilliant and wide-ranging chronicle, pulling together the twin histories of medicine and science. Reviews from Hardback Edition 'A marvellous overview of the medical sciences at a turning point' Nature June 1995 'A remarkable book, full of exiting information and sound evidence, and of great didactic value. This book is intended for laypersons interested in the role of research in healthcare.