“Vital Signs,” a popular column featured in Discover Magazine, has long been a favorite of readers, showcasing, each month, fascinating new tales of strange illnesses and diseases that baffle doctors and elude diagnosis. Each tale is true and borders on the unbelievable. It’s no wonder that throughout the years the column has become an unofficial textbook for medical students, interns, doctors, and anyone interested in human illness and staying healthy. Now, physician and “Vital Signs” editor Robert Norman has compiled the very best of the series into an intriguing and suspenseful collection for fans and new readers alike. A young woman carries a baby that wasn’t her own—and wasn’t even a human; Aretha Franklin gives a physician the insight needed to save a life; a modern gynecologist faces an ancient disease. These cases and more, representing a wide variety of unique medical anomalies and life-or-death situations, bring readers to the front lines of the medical fray. Fans of hit medical dramas such as House MD will savor the opportunity to read of the real-life cases that puzzled doctors, the gripping detective work that ensued, and the completely unexpected, often life-saving diagnoses. Discover Magazine’s Vital Signs is a glimpse into the exciting work of real medical professionals, told from their perspective, and revealing that anything can happen in medicine. Readers will never look at a “routine check-up” the same again.

It was 1921 when Lord Peter Wimsey first encountered the Attenbury emeralds. The recovery of the magnificent gem in Lord Attenbury's most dazzling heirloom made headlines - and launched a shell-shocked young aristocrat on his career as a detective. Now it is 1951: a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Then the new young Lord Attenbury - grandson of Lord Peter's first client - seeks his help again, this time to prove who owns the gigantic emerald that Wimsey last saw in 1921. It will be the most intricate and challenging mystery he has ever faced . . . Since the publication of A Presumption of Death, which was set in 1941 in the wartime English countryside, readers have been eagerly asking for this story - a wholly original and utterly engrossing new detective adventure.

This compelling reference work introduces the religions of Voodoo, a onetime faith of the Mississippi River Valley, and Vodou, a Haitian faith with millions of adherents today. Unlike its fictional depiction in zombie films and popular culture, Voodoo is a full-fledged religion with a pantheon of deities, a priesthood, and communities of believers. Drawing from the expertise of contemporary practitioners, this encyclopedia presents the history, culture, and religion of Haitian Vodou and Mississippi Valley Voodoo. Though based primarily in these two regions, the reference looks at Voodoo across several cultures and delves into related religions, including African Vodu, African Diasporic Religions, and magical practices like hoodoo. Through roughly 150 alphabetical entries, the work describes various aspects of Voodoo in Louisiana and Haiti, covering topics such as important places, traditions, rituals, and items used in ceremonies. Contributions from scholars in the field provide a comprehensive overview of the subject from various perspectives and address the deities and ceremonial acts. The book features an extensive collection of primary sources and a selected, general bibliography of print and electronic resources.

Retells the life of the famous scientist, including his early life and education, his work on fermentation and microorganisms, and describes how his work lives on today.

The ninth edition of award-winning author Jeffrey Pommerville's classic text provides nursing and allied health students with a firm foundation in microbiology, with an emphasis on human disease. An educator himself, Dr. Pommerville incorporates accessible, engaging pedagogical elements and student-friendly ancillaries to help students maximize their understanding and retention of key concepts. Ideal for the non-major, the ninth edition includes numerous updates and additions, including the latest disease data and statistics, new material on emerging disease outbreaks, an expanded use of concept maps, and may other pedagogical features. With an inviting "Learning Design" format and Study Smart notes to students, Alcamo's Fundamentals of Microbiology, Ninth Edition ensures student success as they delve into the exciting world of microbiology.

The second volume of Encounters of Microbiology includes 16 new medical mysteries pulled from Discover Magazine’s “Vital Signs”. Chosen and introduced by renowned author and educator Jeffrey Pommerville, each gripping account follows emergency room physicians and specialists on their race to uncover and treat the life-threatening microbial diseases facing their patients. These medical detectives need all of their experience, intuition, and a few critical observations to identify the puzzling illnesses. With a new section discussing the steps taken when diagnosing patients, and engaging Questions to Consider sections, Encounters of Microbiology, Volume 2 is an exhilarating read for students or anyone interested in the exciting world of microbiology.

Our natural tapestry, the skin, can be torn apart by disease, and we can suffer from horrendous physical and emotional trauma. This book gathers together a number of stories of people with skin diseases, and its organizing principle is each patient’s story and the search for the fundamental humanity, compassion, and empathy for the person with skin and systemic issues. One central element of the book is the need to dignify a person’s life in the face of disease—something that is often not their fault.