Book Review

Reflections and Recollections from a Long Life with Medicine

N Engl J Med 1995; 332:1724June 22, 1995

Article

Reflections and Recollections from a Long Life with Medicine
By Jan G. Waldenström. 137 pp. Rome, Ferrata Storti Foundation Publication, 1994. $20. ISBN: 88-7002-654-X

Everyone who has ever done research knows that it can be fun as well as hard work, but the latter is only marginally reflected in the book. Jan Waldenström is best known for his research on macroglobulinemia, and he is also recognized for his contributions to our knowledge of paraneoplastic phenomena and the carcinoid syndrome. Can a memoir written by an eminent yet modest and humble man be sufficiently accurate to reflect the defeats and accomplishments of a long life? Perhaps not. What we have here is an account of travels throughout the world and through a man's life, written after a journey of almost 90 years. Waldenström describes his medical genealogy (his grandfather and his father were physicians), his childhood in Sweden, and his studies in Sweden, Cambridge, and Munich, where he came under the spell of the Nobel laureate Hans Fischer, learning about and exploring the chemistry of pyrroles. It was Jan Waldenström who, with Bo Vahlquist, introduced the term “porphobilinogen” in 1939. His long interest in the porphyrias is reflected in the term “Swedish porphyria,” which refers to the acute, intermittent form of the disorder.

What could have been added to make this an even better autobiography? A photograph of the author would have been welcome, confirming that the human face is the most interesting landscape. A complete bibliography, documenting the large number of books written or edited by Waldenström and the long list of his scientific articles, would also have been helpful. The list includes such gems as “From Maiden Blush to Matron's Flush” (Acta Medica Scandinavica 1977;201(1–2):1-2), “Necessary Diagnostic Pigeonholes: Defence of Taxonomy in Medicine as Well as in Botany” (Acta Medica Scandinavica 1978;203(3):145-7), and “Plasmapheresis: Bloodletting Revived and Refined” (Acta Medica Scandinavica 1980;208(1–2):1-4).

Who will enjoy this slim book? Waldenström's many friends probably already know much of what is written here. But young physicians, especially those with an academic bent, who might be discouraged about the current state of medicine, may well benefit from spending a little time with Waldenström's reflections, taking a stroll with him through his laboratory, visiting his patients, and also visiting his gardens. Here they will sense how a life in medicine can be lived well — and nicely reflected upon.

Claus A. Pierach, M.D.
Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55407-3799