Category: Book & movie reviews
The First Woman Doctor in America
This book about the first woman doctor in America contains fascinating details about the Blackwell sisters, their struggles, and the times they lived in. Elizabeth Blackwell is to be commended for her accomplishments, but it appears that she was not a nice person.
Bad Documentary Review: The Great Culling
The Great Culling is a mess of an anti-fluoridation documentary trying to scare you into...something. I watched it so you don't have to, and you shouldn't.
The Natural Medicine Handbook
Dr. Walt Larimore has written a very mixed bag of a book, combining useful general advice about supplements and "natural medicine" with some questionable specifics about individual products.
Craniosacral Therapy Is Bogus but DOs Are Required to Learn It
The standard textbook used in many schools of osteopathic medicine includes a lamentable chapter on cranial manipulation. It is clearly biased and fails to meet the minimal standards of science-based medicine. Craniosacral manipulation therapy is bogus, and it should no longer be taught to DOs or feature on their exams.
Meet the Psychologists
In this book, you will meet 16 of the most prominent people in psychology in conversational interviews that reveal their thoughts about the current state of psychology and its future. Enlightening and entertaining.
When Doctors Refuse to Believe Evidence
Paul Offit's new book covers the evidence for many surgeries, medications, and screening tests that have been proven ineffective and harmful yet are still being used by doctors who refuse to follow the science.
Ian Harris on “Surgery, the Ultimate Placebo”
Ian Harris explains that more than half of commonly performed surgical operations may be placebos. Adequate studies using a blinded control group are essential.
The McDougall Diet
Dr. McDougall is a maverick who disagrees with most experts. He recommends a high starch, low fat diet with no dairy or animal foods and other prohibitions. Its severe restrictions make it nutritionally questionable and it has never been properly tested in a controlled study.
Edzard Ernst Tackles Chiropractic
Edzard Ernst's new book is a handy, comprehensive reference for all things chiropractic.
New book: Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement
This book is a handy compendium of everything worth knowing about the anti-vaccine movement and how to challenge the misinformation.