This book could just as accurately have been titled "One person can make a difference" or "Burn him at the stake and use damp straw." Often reviled by their contemporaries but revered by subsequent generations, these medical mavericks blazed the trail of scientific progress. These tales of discovery, personal hardship, court intrigues and hardball professional rivalry make for fascinating reading. This is the perfect book for medical professionals, history buffs, and anyone who just wants to be entertained with incredible anecdotes about pioneers in the fields of medicine. This book will raise the eyebrows of most, make others chuckle and bring a sense of relief to contemporary mavericks, who can take comfort in the thought that at least they aren't being burned at the stake. Volume two will continue what volume one started. It will raise the eyebrows of most, make others chuckle, and bring a sense of relief to contemporary mavericks, who can take comfort in the thought that even the concept that physicians need to wash their hands was ridiculed. Having clinical medicine for more than 30 years, served as consultant to the Executive Vice-President of the American Medical Association for two years, Dr. Riordan brings a unique perspective to the world of medicine. A graduate of University of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin Medical School, Dr. Riordan believes that the nationwide lack of history of medicine courses like the ones he enjoyed at Wisconsin leaves a significant void in medical education.