Whiplash and Other Useful Illnesses
Description
Whiplash, first described in a medical journal in 1953, now occurs so frequently that in the U.S. alone its annual cost is estimated at between $13 and $18 billion dollars. In Whiplash and Other Useful Illnesses Andrew Malleson contends that whiplash is nothing more than a strain of the neck and, like most other strains, heals in a matter of days or weeks. The fact that up to 10% of all whiplash "victims" are reported as permanently disabled occurs because medical healthcare and legal professionals foster and create illnesses, dangling illusive fortunes in front of would-be claimants. Malleson details the evolution of whiplash from a common, short-lived disorder into a world-wide epidemic that has left millions permanently disabled. He exposes how some medical healthcare and legal professionals prey on the anxieties and greed of their clients. He argues that whiplash is only one of a long list of largely fabricated illnesses and injuries that will drain resources from the health care system.
Reviews
"Fascinating. The wit and humour of the prose and the insight of the argument compelled me to read on. The specialist will benefit from the concise discussions of diverse topics and the general reader will find many gold nuggets of entertainment and information. Malleson is excellent in his discussion of the numerous side-issues." Arthur Schafer, Department of Philosophy, University of Manitoba ----- "An important and engaging book." Nortin M. Hadler, MD FACP FACR FACOEM, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill