The Medicine of History from Paracelsus to Freud

This collection of essays and vignettes is a product of the author's lifelong interest in the history of neurology and medicine. The judicious choice of subject matter and readable style reflect Dr. Klawan's versatile talents as neurologist, teacher, medical historian, social observer, and narrator. The book encompasses a diverse range of topics such as neuroendocrine basis of the Emperor Maximus' political behavior, Sigmund Freud's explorations of cocaine, early case reports of Huntington's chorea, and the discovery of spectacles. A major theme underlying these essays is the role of the medical investigator as both participant in an reformer of his society's practices and prejudices. All physicians and historians will find this book fascinating, enlightening, and entertaining look at the evolution of the medical profession in its social context.