The nature of suffering and the goals of medicine - Eric J Cassell

The Nature of Suffering underlines the change that is taking place in medicine from a basic concern with disease to a greater focus on the sick person as a whole. The author centres the discussion on the problem of suffering because he believes that its recognition and relief are a test of the adequacy of any system of medicine. The book includes many stories about patients to illustrate that there can be no diagnosis, search for causes, or treatment without considerationof the individual sick person. This demonstrates that it is time for the sick person to be the central focus of medicine and th e author looks at the implications of such a change in attitude. This book will make interesting reading for all medical professionals as medical historians andphilosophers.