A fascinating and entertaining look at the men behind the first surgical use of anesthesia—and the price they paid for their breakthrough. On Friday, October 16, 1846, only one operation was scheduled at Massachusetts General Hospital.... That day in Boston, the operation was the routine removal of a growth from a man's neck. But one thing would not be routine: instead of using pulleys, hooks, and belts to subdue a patient writhing in pain, this crucial operation would be the first performed under a general anesthetic. No one knew whether the secret concoction would work. Some even feared it might kill the patient. This engrossing book chronicles what happened that day and during its dramatic aftermath. In a vivid history that is stranger than fiction, Ether Day tells the story of the three men who converged to invent the first anesthesia—and the war of ego and greed that soon sent all three men spiraling wildly out of control.
Substance Use Disorders provides an overview of substance misuse and addresses the neurobiology, pharmacotherapy, and behavioural therapy management of substance use disorders from a clinical perspective. Examining the opioid epidemic to frame its discussion of the epidemiology of substance misuse, this book explores common barriers that prevent the implementation of effective treatment. Chapters discuss various aspects of substance use disorders, particularly opioids, alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine, to inform better conceptualization and management of these conditions. Part of the Primer On Psychiatry series, this book will provide a solid foundation for residents and fellows in psychiatry and addiction medicine and can also be used in clinical practice.
Dr. O'Connell's collection of stories and essays, written during thirty years of caring for homeless persons in Boston, gently illuminates the humanity and raw courage of those who struggle to survive and find meaning and hope while living on the streets.
Sleep-related complaints are extremely common across the spectrum of psychiatric illness. Accurate diagnosis and management of sleep disturbances requires an understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sleep and wakefulness, the characteristics of sleep disturbance inherent to psychiatric illness and primary sleep disorders, as well as the psychopharmacologic and behavioral treatments available. Foundations of Psychiatric Sleep Medicine provides a uniquely accessible, practical, and expert summary of current clinical concepts at the sleep-psychiatry interface. Topics covered include: basic principles in sleep science, clinical sleep history taking, primary sleep disorders in psychiatric contexts, and sleep disturbance across a range of mood, anxiety, psychotic, substance use, cognitive and developmental disorders. Written by outstanding experts in the field of sleep medicine and psychiatry, this academically rigorous and clinically useful text is an essential resource for psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals interested in the relationship between sleep and mental illness.
The sequel to the highly acclaimed The House of God. Years later, the Fat Man has been given leadership over a new Future of Medicine Clinic at what is now only Man's 4th Best Hospital, and has persuaded Dr. Roy Basch and some of his intern cohorts to join him to teach a new generation of interns and residents.
This extensively revised edition is an essential reference for physicians involved in the diagnosis, referral and treatment of the thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). TOS is made up of a constellation of problems resulting from pathology at the thoracic outlet in the neck. Busy specialty practice sees multiple affected patients in every clinic, but TOS can often be difficult to diagnosis. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome explores all possible ancillary care issues surrounding this complex condition, including rehabilitation, disability, natural history and medicolegal issues, and aims to stimulate research, discussion and a sense of community between professionals involved in this area. Vascular and thoracic surgeons, neurosurgeons, neurologists, psychiatrists and psychologists, physical therapists, occupational medicine specialists and pain specialists will find this book a must read for successful treatment, referral and diagnosis of TOS in clinical practice.
This unique and engaging open access title provides a compelling and ground-breaking account of the patient safety movement in the United States, told from the perspective of one of its most prominent leaders, and arguably the movement’s founder, Lucian L. Leape, MD. Covering the growth of the field from the late 1980s to 2015, Dr. Leape details the developments, actors, organizations, research, and policy-making activities that marked the evolution and major advances of patient safety in this time span. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, this book not only comprehensively details how and why human and systems errors too often occur in the process of providing health care, it also promotes an in-depth understanding of the principles and practices of patient safety, including how they were influenced by today’s modern safety sciences and systems theory and design. Indeed, the book emphasizes how the growing awareness of systems-design thinking and the self-education and commitment to improving patient safety, by not only Dr. Leape but a wide range of other clinicians and health executives from both the private and public sectors, all converged to drive forward the patient safety movement in the US. Making Healthcare Safe is divided into four parts: I. In the Beginning describes the research and theory that defined patient safety and the early initiatives to enhance it. II. Institutional Responses tells the stories of the efforts of the major organizations that began to apply the new concepts and make patient safety a reality. Most of these stories have not been previously told, so this account becomes their histories as well. III. Getting to Work provides in-depth analyses of four key issues that cut across disciplinary lines impacting patient safety which required special attention. IV. Creating a Culture of Safety looks to the future, marshalling the best thinking about what it will take to achieve the safe care we all deserve. Captivatingly written with an “insider’s” tone and a major contribution to the clinical literature, this title will be of immense value to health care professionals, to students in a range of academic disciplines, to medical trainees, to health administrators, to policymakers and even to lay readers with an interest in patient safety and in the critical quest to create safe care.
