It's precisely because of our enormous success that people are bound to wonder what went wrong when we fail. (106)

This book was terrifyingly informative. From a polio vaccination campaign in India, to modern childbirth, to treatment for cystic fibrosis, to medical malpractice, it was fascinating, visceral, and horrifying by turns and sometimes all at once; the author's scientific, commonsense approach seems unique in the world of medicine. One of the main takeaway points is that no matter how good technology gets, human error and inconsistency tend to be the real culprits in the majority of situations. One major example of this is doctors neglecting to wash their hands between patients, and thus spreading infections throughout hospitals. Better ought to be required reading for all doctors, nurses, and patients.