Synopses & Reviews
“Vital Signs,” a popular column featured in Discover Magazine, has long been a favorite of readers, showcasing, each month, fascinating new tales of strange illnesses and diseases that baffle doctors and elude diagnosis. Each tale is true and borders on the unbelievable. Its no wonder that throughout the years the column has become an unofficial textbook for medical students, interns, doctors, and anyone interested in human illness and staying healthy. Now, physician and “Vital Signs” editor Robert Norman has compiled the very best of the series into an intriguing and suspenseful collection for fans and new readers alike. A young woman carries a baby that wasnt her own—and wasnt even a human; Aretha Franklin gives a physician the insight needed to save a life; a modern gynecologist faces an ancient disease. These cases and more, representing a wide variety of unique medical anomalies and life-or-death situations, bring readers to the front lines of the medical fray.
Fans of hit medical dramas such as House MD will savor the opportunity to read of the real-life cases that puzzled doctors, the gripping detective work that ensued, and the completely unexpected, often life-saving diagnoses. Discover Magazines Vital Signs is a glimpse into the exciting work of real medical professionals, told from their perspective, and revealing that anything can happen in medicine. Readers will never look at a “routine check-up” the same again.
Review
"The 40 of the best medical case studies from Discover Magazine's most popular column reveal wide-ranging medical symptoms that defy common diagnosis. Each case is written and researched with expertise by a medical specialist, but accessible and lively language make the main appeal a general readership. Cases include those of autoimmune disorders such as the woman whose skin was falling off as a result of a drug reaction, and the brain injuries of a former fighter pilot, a patient with mild epileptic seizures, and a child "with headaches and vision problems." In one of the more memorable columns the unexplained death of a 35 year-old male is ultimately traced to metal toxicity from inhaling fumes from heating mercury while extracting gold and silver from old dental fillings to pursue personal wealth. These widely diverse studies of real individuals reveal the complexity of the human body and the constant challenges, frustrations, and limitations medical professionals face. Though these medical mysteries may entice like a real-life episode of House, this is not one for the faint of heart or for hypochondriacs."
—Publishers Weekly
Review
"“Unforgettable clinical vignettes from physicians on the front lines."
--Pamela Nagami, MD, author of The Woman with the Worm in Her Head" Pamela Nagami
Review
""You are in for a thrilling read; this is a fascinating book that retains the accuracy of medical science and the engaging interest of a mystery novel. In this provocative and moving book, Dr. Norman presents forty patients with complex medical maladies. Each case is stuffed with facts and informative asides dramatically told by expert clinicians and scientists. This book is clearly written, easy to read, and balanced so that it should appeal to the lay audience as well as the medical community."
--Joe Migliozzi, MD
Medical Director BioVantra Molecular" Joe Migliozzi
Review
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"From Marcus Welby to House, people are fascinated by medical problems and the medical mind. Dr. Norman has proven that truth is stranger than fiction. [Discover Magazine's] Vital Signs is a great read, will satisfy your need for suspense and mystery and most importantly, it's real!" --Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA
CEO, USF Health
Dean, Morsani College of Medicine
University of South Florida" Stephen K. Klasko
Synopsis
From a case of hysterical paralysis to a pregnancy puncturing a lung, twenty-five of the most thrilling medical mysteries known to man (and doctor).
About the Author
Dr. Robert A. Norman is a board-certified dermatologist and an award-winning faculty member at five different medical schools, and he has been a contributor to the Vital Signs” section of
Discover for the past twelve years. He has written over twenty books, including
The Woman Who Lost Her Skin (and Other Dermatological Tales) and
100 Questions and Answers on Aging Skin. His popular weekly radio show Doc Talk” has provided expert advice and compelling medical stories for more than two years. Dr. Norman lives in Hillsborough County, Florida.