Thank you for reading my blogs, at least this one, at least this far. Most have had a medical theme, and this one will too if you persist beyond the first paragraphs. You may not know that I have also been writing books for children about Fred the friendly snake, beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Lemaire. […]
Fred the Snake, bleeding, barbers and their striped poles Read More »
I am fortunate that my career has taken me to more than 50 countries. I am often asked for my favorite city, which one I would most like to revisit. Leaving aside my home now in USA, and my roots in England, my choices are much influenced by where I have friends (especially those with
My Favorite city (and International meeting) Read More »
Boxing day was cool (10 degrees), so I wore plus twos over my pants, added a jumper and topped it off with my mackintosh, wellies and balaclava. There was not enough snow for sledging, so I left my toboggan behind. The translation. Boxing day. The day after Christmas, when it was traditional in Britain for
A Boxing day story with American sub-titles Read More »
One of my readers (I hope that there may be more than one) chastised me recently for using the American word “gotten” in my latest blog. It is not in common usage in my native England, although some do refer to “ill-gotten gains”. Maybe “forgotten” and even “woe-begotten” are also somehow connected? Who said “two
Have I GOTTEN all American now? Read More »
Delighted to confirm that my 6th book about Fred and friends is now available at booksellers and Amazon in hardback, soft cover and ebook versions Signed and personalized copies are available here on this web site Enjoy their fun adventures, including a scary moment when white water rafting
New book about Fred the friendly snake Read More »
Some may remember that I posted a piece called “Thinking about placebos and healing”. I thought it was just a few months ago, but it was actually in November 2018. It was stimulated by my surprise and confusion about the fact that most patients undergoing sham procedures in my EPISOD research study did remarkably well,
A medicine called “worse than cats” Read More »
Some of the adventures I have recounted in recent months happened while I was on the Consultant staff of The Middlesex Hospital in London (1973-86). You may wonder about the name, which could be misunderstood. It was called The Middlesex because it was in the County of Middlesex, now part of the city of London.
The Middlesex Hospital – what sort of a name is that? Read More »
I am running short on anecdotes about royal patients, but do have some other royal connections, about which you are no doubt curious, and maybe envious. Let’s start with Kings. I was born in the little village of Kingstone, near Hereford, in the west of England. Note “Cotton’s Meadow”, which was indeed a meadow across
So many royal connections! Read More »
It is a stretch to call this one a royal patient, but it might amuse. For a while I was a member of the Royal Air Force volunteer reserve. I may have mentioned before that our whole family was into gliding, big time in my youth. When I got to Cambridge University I found, like
Royal and famous patients 7. A rash dilemma Read More »
A Bollywood mega star was in the news recently, having contracted and happily survived COVID19 Amitabh Bachchan had another close brush with mortality almost 40 years ago, having suffered an injury while filming on location. The severity of his illness led to uncontrolled bleeding, suspected to be coming from an acute stomach “stress ulcer”. I
Royal and famous patients. 6. Bollywood star Read More »
