A History of Medicine

I took Professor Magner's course at Purdue University and truly enjoyed her style. She speaks to the student as an equal participant, and it shows in her text as well. I have now finished medical school, but still refer to this undergraduate text as both a resource and enjoyable reading material.

This is the best general textbook that I have found. (Ackerknecht's is old and assusmes too much historical and cultural background; Bettmann's is even older, and more fun than accurate; Rhodes' is too British for most students.) Most history of medicine is written for readers learned in history or medicine, and Magner is unusual in addressing the actual student and the curious general reader. Magner has obviously taught a real class, to real students. Unfortunately, the publisher is apparently accustomed to sticking it to medical students, who may bear crippling loans, but can expect to make decent money some day. For liberal-arts students, the price is cruel. Why not an affordable paperback, which would be very widely adopted?