Quakery by Lydia Kang *****

Do you need a bathroom reader? Quackery, A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang, MD is perfect. With hundreds of short articles on medical follies, it is ideal for episodic reading. It has the additional benefit to arm you with stories to encourage modesty and caution on the part of your doctor.

A bit of history. For over 2,000 years medicine was based on the theory of the four humors (black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm). Much of the misguided treatments were based on this theory, including bleeding, cupping, purges, cleanses, enemas, emetics, and fasting. Unfortunately, some of these treatments survive today.

In addition to these active treatments, history has also bequeathed us a collection of passive treatments. These include homeopathic remedies, drinking water, touching, diet, rest, and exercise. These non-medical treatments most likely gained popularity because active medical treatments (examples above) tended to kill the patient and many conditions improved untreated. Also, can you say placebo?

Aside from a diversion, this book shows how today’s non-medical treatments trace back to rational decisions by non-medical citizen-scientists and have their roots in empirical data. People who shun medical care have been correct throughout history, so we should not be so surprised by their behavior, even if we believe that medical science has finally got it right.

This book is an excellent reminder that the medical profession is a work in progress and subject to fads and fashions just like other human endeavors, as well as a well-written and humorous read.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for book recommendations.