The Language of Medicine

From one of our wisest senior scholars of medicine comes this penetrating examination of the power of language in medical practice. Dr. Fuks combines his expertise in medical history, linguistic theory, and moral reckonings of the meaning of illness to uphold a profound respect for the patient and to deepen the physician's capacity to heal. * Rita Charon, Columbia University * Dr. Fuks has gifted us an incredible tool in our quest to understand and ultimately leverage the power of our words in therapeutic relationships. At once deeply philosophical and engaging, his book is an erudite exploration of what is made available when we understand each other more fully, elucidate meaning more clearly, and ultimately, learn to inhabit our shared medical world together. Readers will come away with a deep reverence for the power and infinite complexity of language. * Rana Awdish, MD FACP FCCP Author of In Shock, My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope * Fuks explores the fascinating premise that words do not merely convey ideas; they actually create ideas. Nowhere is this more potent than in healthcare, which parlays-knowingly or not-a pharmacology of words. In this unusual and thought-provoking book, we travel the medical world with a linguistic Virgil who consistently surprises and intrigues us. Highly satisfying! * Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, editor of Bellevue Literary Review, and author of What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear *