Shakespeare's Tremor and Orwell's Cough

Shakespeare's Tremor and Orwell's Cough: The Medical Lives of Great Writers by John J. Ross, M.D.
New Book Shelves - Upper Level - 820.9 R

This is a fascinating book! Did you know that Shakespeare's handwriting became shakier and shakier throughout his adulthood? He may have had syphilis, and the treatments in the 17th century were quite barbaric. This book gives all the gory details. John Milton went blind, probably due to a detached retina. The book gives a short day-in-the-life snippet of each author's life, followed by a medical fact about him. Some background on the history of the time, treatments of the time, and the author concludes with a diagnosis of the author's malady, and what probably caused it. Chapters can be read independently, so you can pick your way through your favorites in any order you like. One part medical history, one part literary history, all parts unique and interesting!