Hippocrates' Shadow: Secrets from the House of Medicine
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List Price: $26.00
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Manufacturer: Scribner
Written By: David H Newman
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 610.696
EAN: 9781416551539
ISBN: 1416551530
Label: Scribner
Manufacturer: Scribner
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2008-09-09
Publisher: Scribner
Studio: Scribner
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Editorial Reviews for Hippocrates' Shadow: Secrets from the House of Medicine
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Everyone knows of the Hippocratic Oath, the famous invocation sworn by all neophyte physicians. But most don't realize that the father of modern medicine was an avid listener and a constant bedside presence. Hippocrates believed in the doctor-patient connection and gained worldwide renown for championing science over mysticism while respecting and advocating the potency of human healing. Today, argues Dr. David H. Newman, medicine focuses narrowly on the rewards of technology and science, exaggerating their benefits and ignoring or minimizing their perils. Dr. Newman sees a disconnect between doctor and patient, a disregard for the healing power of the bond, and, ultimately, a disconnect between doctors and their Oath. The root of this divergence, writes Dr. Newman, lies in the patterns of secrecy and habit that characterize the "House of Medicine," modern medicine's entrenched and carefully protected subculture. In reflexive, often unconscious defense of this subculture, doctors and patients guard medical authority, cling to tradition, and yield to demands that they do something or prescribe something. The result is a biomedical culture that routinely engages in unnecessary and inefficient practices, and leaves both patient and doctor dissatisfied. While demonstrating an abiding respect for, and a deep understanding of, the import of modern science, Dr. Newman reviews research that refutes common and accepted medical wisdom. He cites studies that show how mammograms may cause more harm than good; why antibiotics for sore throats are virtually always unnecessary and therefore dangerous; how cough syrup is rarely more effective than a sugar pill; the power and paradox of the placebo effect; how statistics and studies themselves are frequently deceptive; and why CPR is violent, invasive -- and almost always futile. Through an engaging, deeply researched, and eloquent narrative laced with rich and riveting case studies, Newman cuts to the heart of what really works -- and doesn't -- in medicine and rebuilds the bridge between physicians and their patients.
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Consumer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Remarkable book - honest and revealing
Comment: Unlike several of the earlier reviewers, I am not a medical professional; I'm a patient. I found Hippocrates' Shadow to be among the very best medical writing for laymen. Dr. Newman's ability to explain complicated medical concepts in simple terms, without condescending to the reader, is exceptional. It is obvious that his life experiences inform his writing as well as his medicine. From his time riding an ambulance as a paramedic to his Army service in Iraq, the book is full of interesting anecdotes, but not in service of his ego. Rather, the stories support the central point of each chapter.
If you've ever wondered what your doctor is thinking, or how he makes his decisions, or even just wondered why he can't talk to you a little better, you should read this book.
As for the footnotes, skip them. Unless you're a scientist, they're of little interest. They are necessary, though, to demonstrate that Dr. Newman didn't just make this stuff up. He shows you the facts upon which his conclusions are based. That's a direct and open communication with the reader. Direct and open communication is what doctors should have with their patients; it's the central point of the book. Dr. Newman walks his own line.
I look forward to reading his next book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary. Can't get it out of my head
Comment: I am an emergency physician, trained via the same process as Dr. Newman. He and I learned the same skills, ways of thinking, and axioms. But, he took the time to actually investigate what we are doing- and lo and behold, much of it is flawed, dehumanized and wrong. It's not often that a book changes your practice and way of thinking- but this is it. My perspective, practice and teaching recently reflect Newman's. Recommended for all health workers, and should be a mandatory part of the medical student curriculum.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Perspective
Comment: I am not ordinarily a fan of the anecdotal insert, but in this book it works. Dr. Newman brings a different perspective to the issue of evidence-based medicine, due to his experiences as a combat doctor and emergency room physician. His is a more laid-back style than other books in this field, and is very accessible. He provides specific examples of how our system repeatedly delivers health-care that has been proven ineffective or even outright harmful, while ignoring procedures that have been shown to be useful.
For me, the most fascinating part of the book was the section on "pseudoaxioms" -- medical practices which are enshrined in tradition and totally resistant to all evidence of their lack of efficacy.
I am taking one star off this review for abuse of footnotes. Footnotes can be very valuable to provide tangential or technical information, to be read or ignored as the reader prefers, but all too often in this book the information was essential to the point being made in the text and should have been in the body, not in a footnote. Constantly dropping down to check the footnotes made for a choppy reading flow.
Despite this annoyance, this book is a very good addition to the essential reading list in this area: Nortin Hadler's "The Last Well Person," H. Gilbert Welch's "Should I Be Tested for Cancer?", and Gerd Gigerenzer's "Calculated Risks."
Customer Rating:
Summary: Stellar!
Comment: Eye-opening, entertaining read. This is one of those books that you are sad to finish because it is so good. I strongly recommend this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A very interesting, very approachable book
Comment: I have been an avid reader all my life. This is one book I could not put down. The topic is one that affects everyone. The doctor patient relationship is a very personal one and, I think most of us have been turned off by medicine in general and doctors in particular.
Dr. Newman has covered many controversial medical issues in a very readable and understandable manner. Although I am a registered nurse, I feel that the general public will have no difficulty in appreciating the content and relating to the subject matter.
I found the section on Celebrex most provocative, since I recently have been taking it, with what I thought were good results. Since reading the book, I have not taken it in several weeks, with no appreciable adverse effects. To the contrary, I feel fine.
This is a must read book!
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More Information on Hippocrates' Shadow: Secrets from the House of Medicine
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Everyone knows of the Hippocratic Oath, the famous invocation sworn by all neophyte physicians. But most don't realize that the father of modern medicine was an avid listener and a ...
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This quote, from a new book titled - Hippocrates’ Shadow: Secrets From the House of Medicine - speaks to the issue that I raised yesterday. I revel in understanding the science ...
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Hippocrates’ Shadow: Secrets from the House of Medicine By David H. Newman, M.D. (Scribner, $26) An emergency-room physician reveals some of the less savory aspects of medical ...
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Newman, author of the new book “Hippocrates’ Shadow: Secrets from the House of Medicine” (Scribner), says studies of the placebo effect suggest that Hippocrates was right ...
What doctors don't tell you - USATODAY.com
But he's not talking about secret cures that sell books on alternative medicine. Instead, his new book, Hippocrates' Shadow: Secrets From the House of Medicine...
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