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The conquest of pain
422
Pain, 10 (1981) 422 © Elsevier/Nc, rth- Holtland Biomedical Press
Book Review
The Conquest of Pain, P. Fairley, Charles Scribner's ~:~ Sons, New York, 1980, 272 pp., U.S. $12.95. This is a charming book, well worth the few hours ,required to read it. Yet, it lacks a focus or consistency and it cannot be recommended for a specific readership. The introduction and a large chapter in the middle are delightful tales of the author's pursuit of the history of aspirin. The first chapter is a very concise and well written history of Western theories of pain until it becomes extensive quotations from Melzack, Wal!! and others which require considerable sophistication to comprehend. The second chapter briefly considers some of the cultural, social and personal factors which can influence the individual's response to a painful stimulus, The next chapter presents a series of famous men and women whose careers were influenced by pain: Napoleon and his hemorrhoids, Prince Albert with appendicitis, Henry the VIII, Queen Anne and others. This section could be from a movie magazine. The fourth chapter briefly discusses the historical background of opium and its derivatives and a few other natural][y occurring analgesics and soporifics. It is quite superficial. Next comes a well-told aspirin story -- the most enjoyable chapter in the book. A subsequent brief chapter on synthetic analgesics is quite poor. A pleasant re-telling of the early days of inhalation anesthetics is followed by a chapter which ranges from acupuncture to hypnosis, nerve pressure, yoga, percutaneous cordotomy and homeopathy. The author does not offer judgments as to efficacy and states "It is like so many things in medicine, a matter of individual choice." This suggests an anti-science basis unbecoming of a science writer with "more than twenty years experience". The final chapter presents early pieces of the endorphin story, vignettes of modern treatment strategies and ends with the suggestion that "personal control of pain" should be developed. The book would have been strengthened by a more comprehensive discussion of this key area in pain management. It is, to this reader, disturbing to read of the "thalamus gland" or " . . . an American research worker named William Halsted." The book could have been greatly improved if one of the pain experts quoted so extensively could have reviewed an early draft. In summary, the book is like bouillabaisse: tasty but made up of a random sampling of the populvtion of fishes and molluscs. It contains enough anti. science to render it unsuitable as an introductory reader, enough history to titillate the novice and enough facts to be of some value to the layperson. Pain has resisted conquest by berth physicians and Mr. Fairley. John D. Loeser
Seattle, Wash. (U.S.A.)
Pain, 10 (1981) 422 © Elsevier/Nc, rth- Holtland Biomedical Press
Book Review
The Conquest of Pain, P. Fairley, Charles Scribner's ~:~ Sons, New York, 1980, 272 pp., U.S. $12.95. This is a charming book, well worth the few hours ,required to read it. Yet, it lacks a focus or consistency and it cannot be recommended for a specific readership. The introduction and a large chapter in the middle are delightful tales of the author's pursuit of the history of aspirin. The first chapter is a very concise and well written history of Western theories of pain until it becomes extensive quotations from Melzack, Wal!! and others which require considerable sophistication to comprehend. The second chapter briefly considers some of the cultural, social and personal factors which can influence the individual's response to a painful stimulus, The next chapter presents a series of famous men and women whose careers were influenced by pain: Napoleon and his hemorrhoids, Prince Albert with appendicitis, Henry the VIII, Queen Anne and others. This section could be from a movie magazine. The fourth chapter briefly discusses the historical background of opium and its derivatives and a few other natural][y occurring analgesics and soporifics. It is quite superficial. Next comes a well-told aspirin story -- the most enjoyable chapter in the book. A subsequent brief chapter on synthetic analgesics is quite poor. A pleasant re-telling of the early days of inhalation anesthetics is followed by a chapter which ranges from acupuncture to hypnosis, nerve pressure, yoga, percutaneous cordotomy and homeopathy. The author does not offer judgments as to efficacy and states "It is like so many things in medicine, a matter of individual choice." This suggests an anti-science basis unbecoming of a science writer with "more than twenty years experience". The final chapter presents early pieces of the endorphin story, vignettes of modern treatment strategies and ends with the suggestion that "personal control of pain" should be developed. The book would have been strengthened by a more comprehensive discussion of this key area in pain management. It is, to this reader, disturbing to read of the "thalamus gland" or " . . . an American research worker named William Halsted." The book could have been greatly improved if one of the pain experts quoted so extensively could have reviewed an early draft. In summary, the book is like bouillabaisse: tasty but made up of a random sampling of the populvtion of fishes and molluscs. It contains enough anti. science to render it unsuitable as an introductory reader, enough history to titillate the novice and enough facts to be of some value to the layperson. Pain has resisted conquest by berth physicians and Mr. Fairley. John D. Loeser
Seattle, Wash. (U.S.A.)