The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-09
-Dietz on Science
BOOK DESCRIBES
SHADOWS BACK
OF PHYSICIANS
Behind the Doctor Is New
Medical History in
Pleasing Vein.
BY DAVID DIETZ
SerippS- Howard Science Editor

Now that Thanksgiving day is
gone and Christmas is only few
weeks away, it's time to come to
the aid of Santa Claus. Books al
ways have been near the top in any
list of Christmas suggestions and
books OF popular science deserve
special attention to these days OF
swift scientific progress.
If you are making up your Christ
mas list, give thought to DR.. Logan
Clendening's new book, Behind the
Doctor" 1t is companion volume
to his best seller of a few years ago,
THE Human Body" written with
the same clear, simple, and direct
style.
THE Human Body" it will be re-
membered was a discussion Of
human anatomy, physiology, and
pathology.
Behind the Doctor" is a book Of
medical history. 1t tells the fas-
cinating story of the development
of medical knowledge. 1t is the
story of all those men and women,
from primitive herb-gatherers to
skilled scientists, whose shadows
stand behind the doctor whenever
he treats you"
Alfred A. Knopf publishes BE
hind the Doctor" at $3.75.
Ghosts in ThrOnp
In language that is picturesque
and vivid, DR.. Clendening describes
the varied assembly.
Behind the doctor-so many CEN
turies, so many people," he writes. It
see them crowding around him-a
great throng of old ghosts as he
walks into the room.
when he takes out his stethe-
scope to listen to your heart, there
is thin, consunptive DR.. Laennec of
Paris, peering over his shoulder.
When he taps your chest, another
ghost-jolly music-loving DR.. Leo
pold Auenbrugger of Vienna-smiles
in appreciation of his discovery liv-
ing through the year.
when the urine is examined,
there, is DR.. Richard Bright of Lon
don, rafting his seals and ordering
his carriage to take him to Russell
Square to treat the great British
merchants.
Anesthesia and Wells
GAS your doctor dresses those
stitches, 1 see little, old Ambrose
Pare and gentle Joseph Lister be-
hind him. Near your anesthesia ap-
paratus is the ghost of poor Horace
Wells, who cut his radial artery
from disappointment and bled to
death.
MANY other ghosts, too! inter
esting queer people There is the
stout figure of Benjamin Jesty
among his COWS, and scornful Lady
Mary Montagu and her scapegrace
son wearing his turban and sitting
cross-legged on the floor of the
British embassy in Venice. Evil
looking Thomas Drover, pirate,
flying the Jolly Roger, and putting
off in the long-boat to rescue Rob-
inson Cruson.
Ideal Book for Laymen
William Harvey, the English
man, sitting on the benches of the
old anatomical theater at Padua,
and Andreas Vesalius, the Belgian,
Sinking through the dusky streets of
Paris with a skeleton in his wheel
barrow"
Many other writer's have under
taken to tell the story of medical
history. There are many books up
on the subject, specialized trea-
tiseS dealing with specific phases,
general books meant only for the
technical reader, and still others
aimed at the layman as we'll
There is Sir William Osler's book,
to name one of the best known.
There have been others, Haggard's,
for example, or Singers.
The material in DR.. Clendening's
book, therefore, will, for the most
part, be familiar to the reader who
has made any sort of study of med
ical history. But, on the other hand,
it is the ideal book for the laImen.
ANETrcU