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In the Blood: How Two Outsiders Solved a Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took On the US Army
The "high-stakes" true story of how an absent-minded inventor and a down-on-his-luck salesman joined forces to create a once‑in‑a‑generation lifesaving product. "Suspenseful storytelling helps us see and feel the struggle and frustration, the sweat and tears . . . Inspiring ” (Robert Kolker, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road ).
At the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, dramatized by the popular film Black Hawk Down , the majority of soldiers who died were killed instantly or bled to death before they could reach an operating table. This tragedy reinforced the need for a revolutionary treatment that could transform trauma medicine. So, when Frank Hursey and Bart Gullong—who had no medical or military experience—discovered that a cheap, crushed rock called zeolite had blood‑clotting properties, they brought it to the military's attention. The Marines and the Navy adopted the resulting product, QuikClot, immediately. The Army, however, resisted. It had two products of its own being developed to prevent excessive bleeds, one of which had already cost tens of millions of dollars. The other, "Factor Seven," had a more dangerous its side effects could be deadly. Unwilling to let its efforts end in failure—and led by the highly influential surgeon Colonel John Holcomb—the Army set out to smear QuikClot’s reputation.
Over the course of six years, Hursey and Gullong engaged in an epic struggle with Holcomb for recognition. Ultimately, a whistle‑blower inside the Army challenged the Army’s embrace of Factor Seven, which resulted in a massive lawsuit led by the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit focused further attention on the financial ties between the pharmaceutical company that produced Factor Seven and Holcomb’s research institute.
By withholding QuikClot—which later became the medical miracle of the Iraq War—and in the use of Factor Seven with its known, life-threatening risks of heart attacks and strokes, the lives of countless soldiers were imperiled. Using deep reportage and riveting prose, In the Blood recounts this little‑known David‑and‑Goliath story of corruption, greed, and power within the military—and the devastating consequences of unchecked institutional arrogance.
At the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, dramatized by the popular film Black Hawk Down , the majority of soldiers who died were killed instantly or bled to death before they could reach an operating table. This tragedy reinforced the need for a revolutionary treatment that could transform trauma medicine. So, when Frank Hursey and Bart Gullong—who had no medical or military experience—discovered that a cheap, crushed rock called zeolite had blood‑clotting properties, they brought it to the military's attention. The Marines and the Navy adopted the resulting product, QuikClot, immediately. The Army, however, resisted. It had two products of its own being developed to prevent excessive bleeds, one of which had already cost tens of millions of dollars. The other, "Factor Seven," had a more dangerous its side effects could be deadly. Unwilling to let its efforts end in failure—and led by the highly influential surgeon Colonel John Holcomb—the Army set out to smear QuikClot’s reputation.
Over the course of six years, Hursey and Gullong engaged in an epic struggle with Holcomb for recognition. Ultimately, a whistle‑blower inside the Army challenged the Army’s embrace of Factor Seven, which resulted in a massive lawsuit led by the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit focused further attention on the financial ties between the pharmaceutical company that produced Factor Seven and Holcomb’s research institute.
By withholding QuikClot—which later became the medical miracle of the Iraq War—and in the use of Factor Seven with its known, life-threatening risks of heart attacks and strokes, the lives of countless soldiers were imperiled. Using deep reportage and riveting prose, In the Blood recounts this little‑known David‑and‑Goliath story of corruption, greed, and power within the military—and the devastating consequences of unchecked institutional arrogance.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 22, 2023
This is a compelling book about the development of QuikClot, a miracle product that could stop life threatening bleeding from battle wounds. It tells the true story of two small scale inventors with a big idea that could literally save lives all over the world. The story of their persistence and creativity in the creation of QuikClot is worth a book itself. What really lifts the story is the struggle that they had with the US military. Even though the QuikClot product worked well with minimal side effects, the military was very attached to all the sunk cost (and the money from big pharma) involved in their own efforts to create a comparable product. The military efforts were sub- optimal. Their product, Factor Seven, was expensive to produce and had deadly side effects. Six years and a major federal lawsuit later, QuikClot became a standard intervention for military and other emergency use in the field. The efforts of the military to suppress QuikClot make for a dramatic, page turning book. I am a hiker and it is now common for hikers to carry QuikClot infused bandages in case of injury in the wild. It is a lifesaving product that was nearly killed by shortsighted military and big Pharma interests. The story of its triumph is at the heart of this book.
I have read other work by Mr. Barber and am always impressed by his eloquence. This book is no different. It is written with precision and flair. Mr. Barber combines a reporter's accuracy with the excitement of a great storyteller and the result is a page turner. If you need a "can't put it down" book with lessons that really stick with you, you can't do than In The Blood.
I have read other work by Mr. Barber and am always impressed by his eloquence. This book is no different. It is written with precision and flair. Mr. Barber combines a reporter's accuracy with the excitement of a great storyteller and the result is a page turner. If you need a "can't put it down" book with lessons that really stick with you, you can't do than In The Blood.
May 5, 2023
** I received a digital review copy from the publisher, because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome**
(4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 GR stars)
"Doubt is the origin of wisdom"
Who would have thought that the biggest breakthrough in combat medicine started with a tinkerer with an idea and a mouse in his basement?
This was a phenomenal combination of science and human interest, engagingly written so that both the development of the warring clotting products and the personalities of the players were all fully on display.
I downloaded this book on a slight whim, thinking that I could skim it with an eye on discussing it with my cousin, who was an army medic in the early to mid 2000's. Instead, I found myself completely engrossed, and didn't put it down until I had read to the last page. While it might not retain the same humor as Mary Roach's "Grunt," I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that book and its military science.
(4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 GR stars)
"Doubt is the origin of wisdom"
Who would have thought that the biggest breakthrough in combat medicine started with a tinkerer with an idea and a mouse in his basement?
This was a phenomenal combination of science and human interest, engagingly written so that both the development of the warring clotting products and the personalities of the players were all fully on display.
I downloaded this book on a slight whim, thinking that I could skim it with an eye on discussing it with my cousin, who was an army medic in the early to mid 2000's. Instead, I found myself completely engrossed, and didn't put it down until I had read to the last page. While it might not retain the same humor as Mary Roach's "Grunt," I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that book and its military science.
August 18, 2023
In Quran, mankind was created from a clot, and clotting saves lives on the battlefield. This is a story of a guy in Connecticut who develops an inexpensive and effective blood clotting product (actually cat litter) and a guy who markets it to the Navy & Marines (successfully) and the Army (unsuccessfully). There's a lot of sausagemaking about military R&D and procurement against the backdrop of a bloody war in Iraq. Things I liked were the number of Catholics, the clear explanations on the science side, and that the Long Island Sound is sometimes a character in the story. The personalities were done well, with no one being just a bad guy. And Tom Eagles was larger than life.
September 28, 2024
I actually would give this book a 3 1/2 ⭐️ rating. I read this for Shorty September, but because of its detailed writing, it took me two weeks to get through it. The storyline pits a small business and its two novices, a scientist and a businessman, against the U.S. Army in a move to convince them to use their clotting invention on the battlefield. The book does not put the army in a good light, highlighting an arrogant general with too much control and a blindsight toward greed. The army is also portrayed as an unwieldy behemoth wallowing in bureaucracy. The Marines and Navy, however, are presented as streamlined savvy agencies.
This book highlights the misuse of the orphan drug laws and the lack of reporting findings of studies and experiments pertaining to medical trials. Novo Nordisk, a Denmark company, is also one of the bad guys in this military nonfiction tale. If you like true crime with a David vs. Goliath theme and a love for the military, this book might interest you.
This book highlights the misuse of the orphan drug laws and the lack of reporting findings of studies and experiments pertaining to medical trials. Novo Nordisk, a Denmark company, is also one of the bad guys in this military nonfiction tale. If you like true crime with a David vs. Goliath theme and a love for the military, this book might interest you.
November 12, 2023
This was a fascinating account of how battlefield medicine was developed to deal with excessive bleeding. The stroy moved quickly and the technical information was easy to follow. Overall a quick and fascinating read.
December 28, 2023
Not only was this truly fascinating, but it was also very well written. Amazing read!
February 24, 2024
Quick (ha) relatively easy read (ignoring the subject matter). Fascinating look at the invention of a live saving product.
March 14, 2024
Super fascinating book about the odyssey of QuikClot. I knew of the product, but certainly didn’t know anything about how it was discovered, all of the infighting in the military over it, and all of the, frankly, really thrilling ins and outs of it all. Really enjoyed the story telling - both the style and pace and the subject matter.
September 21, 2023
In the Blood is indeed a good and interesting read. It is about two very different people who come together to create a product that creates properties that cause fast clotting of blood. Obviously, a product that would save battlefield lives as well as civilian lives. It is the story of their bureaucratic fight with the armed services to get their reasonably priced life-saving product in the hands of the Army and Marines. It took time and some frustration but with their dedication they got the job done, and, in the end, they were extremely successful.
It was interesting and personal to me, as one of the main characters and I went to college together and were reunited several years ago at a mutual ceremony. I never knew until now. Great book!
It was interesting and personal to me, as one of the main characters and I went to college together and were reunited several years ago at a mutual ceremony. I never knew until now. Great book!
July 20, 2023
I loved this book. Masterful writing, incredible research, great story. Learned so much!
April 27, 2023
Visionary. Outsider. Hero. One of the great lines from the movie The Imitation Game (whose trailer I was just watching as I tried to find this quote, and where I found the title of this review) that has always stuck with me is "Sometimes it's the very people who no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." Obviously, in the context of The Imitation Game, it is about the legendary "Father of Computer Science" (and suspected Autistic) Alan Turing.
Barber, in *this* text, makes it clear that it could very equally be said of a man who may well go down in history as at least as important as Turing himself - Frank Hursey. Hursey was a South Carolina native living in Connecticut who discovered a remarkable property of a fairly common substance - and then set it aside like Mordin in Mass Effect 2 looking at some gadget he was no longer interested in. Until Bart Gullong came into his life and recognized the significance of what Hursey had found - and together, the inventor and the salesman/ marketer would go on to change the course of world history.
Barber, through a seemingly episodic format where he provides brief biographical sketches of each of the key players in the unfolding drama while keeping the narrative squarely focused on Hursey, Gullong, and their products, tells a story at least as motivational as anything has ever been told about Turing's own life. A story of a almost literal garage inventor who finds and develops a substance that has literal world changing powers.
A substance that can make battlefield - or anywhere else - traumas far more survivable, by finally solving a problem humanity had never before solved in its known history - how to stop mass bleeding.
This is the story of how Hursey and Gullong found, developed, and marketed the substance to the US military - and then later found mass market appeal in nearly every segment of the economy that might find a desire to stop a potential bleed out.
Including, per Barber, Taylor Swift having it near her at all times in the case of an attack at one of her concerts.
The only reason for the star deduction here is the slightly lower than my expected average of 20-30% on the bibliography, clocking in here at 16% instead. And as I've noted in other reviews of late, given that so many more recent texts are clocking in closer to this 15% point, I may well need to revise my expected bibliography size down a touch.
The tale opens with the story of the Battle of Mogadishu and the subsequent movie form of it, Black Hawk Down. Don't be surprised to see a movie form of this book itself at some point. Very much recommended.
Barber, in *this* text, makes it clear that it could very equally be said of a man who may well go down in history as at least as important as Turing himself - Frank Hursey. Hursey was a South Carolina native living in Connecticut who discovered a remarkable property of a fairly common substance - and then set it aside like Mordin in Mass Effect 2 looking at some gadget he was no longer interested in. Until Bart Gullong came into his life and recognized the significance of what Hursey had found - and together, the inventor and the salesman/ marketer would go on to change the course of world history.
Barber, through a seemingly episodic format where he provides brief biographical sketches of each of the key players in the unfolding drama while keeping the narrative squarely focused on Hursey, Gullong, and their products, tells a story at least as motivational as anything has ever been told about Turing's own life. A story of a almost literal garage inventor who finds and develops a substance that has literal world changing powers.
A substance that can make battlefield - or anywhere else - traumas far more survivable, by finally solving a problem humanity had never before solved in its known history - how to stop mass bleeding.
This is the story of how Hursey and Gullong found, developed, and marketed the substance to the US military - and then later found mass market appeal in nearly every segment of the economy that might find a desire to stop a potential bleed out.
Including, per Barber, Taylor Swift having it near her at all times in the case of an attack at one of her concerts.
The only reason for the star deduction here is the slightly lower than my expected average of 20-30% on the bibliography, clocking in here at 16% instead. And as I've noted in other reviews of late, given that so many more recent texts are clocking in closer to this 15% point, I may well need to revise my expected bibliography size down a touch.
The tale opens with the story of the Battle of Mogadishu and the subsequent movie form of it, Black Hawk Down. Don't be surprised to see a movie form of this book itself at some point. Very much recommended.
June 29, 2024
When I contemplate writing this review I hesitate because I do not want to use the words that Colonel John Holcomb would use to talk about bad products, like "HemCon" and "Factor Seven," using words like "amazing."
For the record, however, the use of the word "amazing" is appropriate here.
I did not know that Charles Barber lectured on psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine when I was reading "In the Blood." But now that I have finished the book, the author's superior concern about his protagonists, Frank Hursey and Bart Gullong, makes it evident that he has the sensitivity of a good and caring mental health care provider, combined with the skills of a taught non-fiction thriller writer.
The other thing I did not know is that the U.S. Army's incompetence and dereliction of duty with respect to its rejection of "QuikClot" could be so profound, not to mention its perpetration of the American tragedy of employing "Factor Seven" to stem bleeding, leading to unnecessary deaths from unwanted clots.
This is just another example of military hero worship, despite that time and time again evidence clearly points to that "experience" can be overrated.
Here I cite John Holcomb's service in Somalia in 1993. His efforts to save wounded Rangers in Mogadishu created a kind of decorated and "experienced" Army monster surgeon doctor as he transitioned into the Institute for Surgical Research ("ISR"), an organization as structurally unsound as one I have ever read about. Is that ignoble place still around? With its fawning staff and inability to learn?
I guess that is how a lot of things work in government, generally speaking.
But perhaps one of the biggest takeaways for me was how Charles Barber described one of Joseph Dacorta's profound appreciation of doubt and skepticism: "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to give it away too soon, or to the first comer." George Santayana said that. People like me are an asset, perhaps because we have that doubt built in.
Frank and Bart made a great team. I thank Providence for bringing them together.
For the record, however, the use of the word "amazing" is appropriate here.
I did not know that Charles Barber lectured on psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine when I was reading "In the Blood." But now that I have finished the book, the author's superior concern about his protagonists, Frank Hursey and Bart Gullong, makes it evident that he has the sensitivity of a good and caring mental health care provider, combined with the skills of a taught non-fiction thriller writer.
The other thing I did not know is that the U.S. Army's incompetence and dereliction of duty with respect to its rejection of "QuikClot" could be so profound, not to mention its perpetration of the American tragedy of employing "Factor Seven" to stem bleeding, leading to unnecessary deaths from unwanted clots.
This is just another example of military hero worship, despite that time and time again evidence clearly points to that "experience" can be overrated.
Here I cite John Holcomb's service in Somalia in 1993. His efforts to save wounded Rangers in Mogadishu created a kind of decorated and "experienced" Army monster surgeon doctor as he transitioned into the Institute for Surgical Research ("ISR"), an organization as structurally unsound as one I have ever read about. Is that ignoble place still around? With its fawning staff and inability to learn?
I guess that is how a lot of things work in government, generally speaking.
But perhaps one of the biggest takeaways for me was how Charles Barber described one of Joseph Dacorta's profound appreciation of doubt and skepticism: "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to give it away too soon, or to the first comer." George Santayana said that. People like me are an asset, perhaps because we have that doubt built in.
Frank and Bart made a great team. I thank Providence for bringing them together.
May 22, 2025
In The Blood is the story of an unknown duo trying to infiltrate the military healthcare market with their revolutionary blood clotting product, Quikclot.
After years of stagnant methods of tourniquets and gauze used for stopping blood loss in war, military characters in the late 90s and early 2000s came to the forefront to try and deliver a modern solution for this age-old issue. Enter Frank Hursey who discovered the water absorption qualities of zeolite that could ultimately clot blood on the battlefield, saving thousands of lives. His business partner, Bart Gullong, joins him in 1999 and takes on the role of product salesman and subsequent punching bag for the US Army, who was also pushing their less effective but competitive product, HemCon.
The book highlights each of the key players, most of whom were/are military medics across the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Barber highlights the stanch bureaucracy and blind leadership from Army members, most notably John Holcomb, a former Army medic in one of the more disastrous military mishaps in Mogadishu. The arrogance of the Army is on full display as they push a statistically inferior product due to ego and collusion by a pharmaceutical company behind the scenes. As outlined in the book, “[Deaths by HemCon and other inferior Army products like FactorSeven] were outcomes of the highly dangerous, potentially fatal collision of the arrogance, massive budgets, and unchecked power structure of army medicine; the extreme profitability of pharmaceutical companies; and the lack of regulation of off-label use of medication. The vast amounts of money involved - too much of it and too much lust for it - is the one thing that connects all three of these factors.”
Ultimately, the book serves as a background into the greed of American medicine and military exploits while sharing the backstories of many very similar players in the same game. I’m glad that Frank Hursey, a man who doesn’t seek the spotlight, gets the recognition he deserves for this life-saving innovation alongside Bart Gullong who, upon reading this book, can hopefully feel vindicated from the litany of skeletons in his closet.
After years of stagnant methods of tourniquets and gauze used for stopping blood loss in war, military characters in the late 90s and early 2000s came to the forefront to try and deliver a modern solution for this age-old issue. Enter Frank Hursey who discovered the water absorption qualities of zeolite that could ultimately clot blood on the battlefield, saving thousands of lives. His business partner, Bart Gullong, joins him in 1999 and takes on the role of product salesman and subsequent punching bag for the US Army, who was also pushing their less effective but competitive product, HemCon.
The book highlights each of the key players, most of whom were/are military medics across the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Barber highlights the stanch bureaucracy and blind leadership from Army members, most notably John Holcomb, a former Army medic in one of the more disastrous military mishaps in Mogadishu. The arrogance of the Army is on full display as they push a statistically inferior product due to ego and collusion by a pharmaceutical company behind the scenes. As outlined in the book, “[Deaths by HemCon and other inferior Army products like FactorSeven] were outcomes of the highly dangerous, potentially fatal collision of the arrogance, massive budgets, and unchecked power structure of army medicine; the extreme profitability of pharmaceutical companies; and the lack of regulation of off-label use of medication. The vast amounts of money involved - too much of it and too much lust for it - is the one thing that connects all three of these factors.”
Ultimately, the book serves as a background into the greed of American medicine and military exploits while sharing the backstories of many very similar players in the same game. I’m glad that Frank Hursey, a man who doesn’t seek the spotlight, gets the recognition he deserves for this life-saving innovation alongside Bart Gullong who, upon reading this book, can hopefully feel vindicated from the litany of skeletons in his closet.
October 3, 2023
I didn’t take time to read this book thoroughly, but it’s tale of Frank Hursey’s realization that the mineral zeolite could work to help blood quickly clot over a wound is fascinating. Hursey and business partner Bart Gullong had a difficult struggle to convince the military of QuikClot’s life-saving value, but in the end, their product has become one of the top hemostatic products available.
Hursey had the ingenious idea that the mineral zeolite’s microscopic “honeycombs” could absorb the water molecules in blood (which is about half water) and leave a concentrated clump of platelets and clotting proteins, which were too big to be absorbed by zeolite’s “honeycombs.” He decided to try it on a mouse, into which he sliced a wound with a knife, shook zeolite onto the bleeding wound, and watched in amazement as it did just what he theorized it must do.
If only it was as easy to pursuance the military as it was that mouse, which recovered and he released into his backyard.
Interesting book of invention and entrepreneurial spirit, with both the genius and frustration of human nature playing a role.
Hursey had the ingenious idea that the mineral zeolite’s microscopic “honeycombs” could absorb the water molecules in blood (which is about half water) and leave a concentrated clump of platelets and clotting proteins, which were too big to be absorbed by zeolite’s “honeycombs.” He decided to try it on a mouse, into which he sliced a wound with a knife, shook zeolite onto the bleeding wound, and watched in amazement as it did just what he theorized it must do.
If only it was as easy to pursuance the military as it was that mouse, which recovered and he released into his backyard.
Interesting book of invention and entrepreneurial spirit, with both the genius and frustration of human nature playing a role.
January 26, 2024
Good Book, but Even Better Story
Good book, but even better story. I received this book as a gift and finished it in two days. A fascinating story about a determined inventor and entrepreneur that brought a product to reality that over the years has saved tens of thousands of lives. This book is really the story of Frank Hursey, the inventor of Quikclot, a rev9lutionary blood clotting agent, and his grinding and determined efforts to get this product adopted by the military, first responders and hospitals all over the world. He succeeded with the help of many, especially a marketing genius by the name of Bart Gullong. The story of their battles with the army to overcome the politics and competition from less effective products was the main storyline over a period of many years. This is also an American story where this inventor rose from an ordinary guy with a basement lab to a respected engineer and philanthropist who ended up with an engineering school named after his wife Nancy Hursey and him. I just wish the book included more an about Frank and detail about his scientific experiments with solving the problem of stopping catastrophic bleeding.
Good book, but even better story. I received this book as a gift and finished it in two days. A fascinating story about a determined inventor and entrepreneur that brought a product to reality that over the years has saved tens of thousands of lives. This book is really the story of Frank Hursey, the inventor of Quikclot, a rev9lutionary blood clotting agent, and his grinding and determined efforts to get this product adopted by the military, first responders and hospitals all over the world. He succeeded with the help of many, especially a marketing genius by the name of Bart Gullong. The story of their battles with the army to overcome the politics and competition from less effective products was the main storyline over a period of many years. This is also an American story where this inventor rose from an ordinary guy with a basement lab to a respected engineer and philanthropist who ended up with an engineering school named after his wife Nancy Hursey and him. I just wish the book included more an about Frank and detail about his scientific experiments with solving the problem of stopping catastrophic bleeding.
July 12, 2023
At first glance, the story this book tells does not lend itself to an exciting read. A couple of guys discover that a common mineral found everywhere has the unique chemical properties to stop bleeding and they attempt to develop their discovery into a product and sell it to the military and hospitals. Snore....but what a surprise. This isn't really the story of zeolite and it's unique properties - it's the story of the men and women that are driven to use the zeolite to save lives and the constant opposition they face. The personalities of the inventors of QuikClot are very different - the men clash with and complement each other. The experiences of QuikClot users like navy medics and civilian first responders clash are harrowing and horrifying. The QuikClot advocates push constantly against enormous opposition from the Army and pharmaceutical companies that try to stymie efforts to bring this life-saving technology to trauma victims. The story is infuriating, thrilling and fascinating.
July 21, 2023
Another book that should have been 150 pages vs 250...what happened to editors? Perhaps many don't mind a non-fiction book overflowing with history and background. I don't. I especially don't like it when it is not in chronological order and chapters jump decades and are better served being skipped.
I skipped many pages and, seriously, it didn't even impact the beginning, middle and end of what could have been an excellent story. I am again appalled at the disgusting behavior of our Army Leaders and the volumes of $ wasted and spent NOT HELPING our military....can we please get rid of the old, white dinosaurs who refuse to give our service people the tools they need to survive? Better yet, just stop wars!!!
I skipped many pages and, seriously, it didn't even impact the beginning, middle and end of what could have been an excellent story. I am again appalled at the disgusting behavior of our Army Leaders and the volumes of $ wasted and spent NOT HELPING our military....can we please get rid of the old, white dinosaurs who refuse to give our service people the tools they need to survive? Better yet, just stop wars!!!
August 17, 2023
A gripping story about two unlikely characters that go toe to toe with the military- shocked that I had never heard pieces of this story, considering it was all happening in my backyard! Charles really brings the reader into this struggle and I often found myself so frustrated that our military leaders and systems would not implement a product that was less expensive than rival brands, produced better results, and would ultimately save lives on the battlefield. Ego, cronyism, and bureaucracy at its finest! A must-read for anyone interested in medical history, military conflict, and government ineptitude.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2025
It’s a lot of different stories tied up in one, because they are inseparable. It’s a remarkable story about two men who had not yet been properly appreciated. This is the main highlight, but it’s a story about more than that.
It’s a story of medical history, especially as relates to the military. It’s a story about the brutality and trauma of war. It’s a story about the obstinacy and borderline corruption of military bureaucracy. It’s a story about the dangers of profit-incentivized pharmaceutical companies, trying to circumvent good science to sell products. And it’s a story about saving lives.
It’s a story of medical history, especially as relates to the military. It’s a story about the brutality and trauma of war. It’s a story about the obstinacy and borderline corruption of military bureaucracy. It’s a story about the dangers of profit-incentivized pharmaceutical companies, trying to circumvent good science to sell products. And it’s a story about saving lives.
June 1, 2023
Barber offers yet another character study of American heroism from unlikely sources. A charming odd-couple team of quiet genius and hopeful salesman runs the proverbial gauntlet as select military leaders reject science and logic with lives at stake. While the tension is unrelenting, the portrayal is well-balanced and even sensitive to the contributions of those who fought the best outcome. In the Blood manages to take the reader on a Coppola-like ride with a biomedical backdrop of blood and magic rocks without ever losing it’s timing or grip. Couldn’t put it down.
June 12, 2023
Page turner. Pure and simple. I can think of no greater compliment for a writer than for your Average Reader to say it kept them up far past their bedtime for fear of missing the next big moment.
Charles has written a taut, meticulously well-researched book pitting the Little Guys (actually, two little guys) against the behemoth of the armed forces (specifically, the Army) in a race to save soldiers in the battlefield.
I won't spoil this review with specifics, but know this is one book you simply cannot put down.
Charles has written a taut, meticulously well-researched book pitting the Little Guys (actually, two little guys) against the behemoth of the armed forces (specifically, the Army) in a race to save soldiers in the battlefield.
I won't spoil this review with specifics, but know this is one book you simply cannot put down.
July 4, 2023
Charles Barber's In the Blood is an inspiring and well-told story of innovation, persistence, and success.
Describing the invention of a life-saving blood clotting product, Barber shows the vagaries of research, product development, and government funding. It's an epic tale with vivid real-life characters about the struggle to save lives from injuries on the battlefield and everywhere.
Barber cites the perfect quotation to sum up the story: "No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come" - Victor Hugo.
A terrific read.
Describing the invention of a life-saving blood clotting product, Barber shows the vagaries of research, product development, and government funding. It's an epic tale with vivid real-life characters about the struggle to save lives from injuries on the battlefield and everywhere.
Barber cites the perfect quotation to sum up the story: "No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come" - Victor Hugo.
A terrific read.
November 30, 2023
Zeolite is a chemical that is honeycomb in structure. It sucks up moisture rapidly. Frank Hersey, a mechanical engineer, thought it might work on clotting bleeding cells. He tried it on a little mouse and it worked.
If it were not for a marketing genius, Bart Gullong, Hersy's discovery may have gone unnoticed. Working together they made Frank's discovery popular and commercially very successful, thereby facilitating the quick rescue of many people from life threatening wounds, especially those on the battlefield.
It is called QUIKCLOT and is available at most pharmacies.
If it were not for a marketing genius, Bart Gullong, Hersy's discovery may have gone unnoticed. Working together they made Frank's discovery popular and commercially very successful, thereby facilitating the quick rescue of many people from life threatening wounds, especially those on the battlefield.
It is called QUIKCLOT and is available at most pharmacies.
June 3, 2023
This book will both lift you up and piss you off. It tells the true story of two remarkably different men who joined together in a determined effort to save American lives on the battlefield, and the equally remarkable (and wholly appalling) effort by the U.S. Army to stop them from doing so. I know that the word "inspiring " is cliche', particularly in book reviews. But I use that word without reservation here.
Read In The Blood. The writing is perfect. The story is stunning.
Read In The Blood. The writing is perfect. The story is stunning.
April 13, 2024
Excellent CT story. True story of resilience, David vs. Goliath and unbelievably David wins. Documenting the slow, grinding military machine (especially detailed by Army action) as it gives little regard to human life - even that of the American soldier, as well as the tenacity of the entrepreneurs that bring about life-saving change for us all, Barber uncovers a story we can all appreciate. The fact that it is local to those of us in CT makes it even better.
August 21, 2024
I listened to the audiobook version and found it very, very interesting. When you think there’s nothing left to be invented, this book shows that there is certainly always something left to discover.
The author walk you through the years it took, and the challenges faced to develop this amazing product.
If you have any engineering background, fancy yourself an entrepreneur or work in a medical field, I think you will enjoy this book.
The author walk you through the years it took, and the challenges faced to develop this amazing product.
If you have any engineering background, fancy yourself an entrepreneur or work in a medical field, I think you will enjoy this book.
September 1, 2024
So as someone who was a medic in the army, learning about quikclot was so interesting. I did not know the history of how it came to be and how hard the army fought against it. I am not at all surprised because they do not like to do anything that benefits anyone but themselves. To learn about how many lives were saved and to think about how many people died because of the army's selfishness.
This is definitely a niche subject, but i did finish it in one day because I was so invested.
This is definitely a niche subject, but i did finish it in one day because I was so invested.
May 22, 2023
This book is a fascinating story about a little known invention that revolutionizes the ability to save lives. The way Charles Barber flips between the story of bringing this innovation to light, and the battle to make sure everyone has access to it, allows the reader to feel those moments of angst and frustration right along with the characters. Highly recommend giving this a read!
June 26, 2023
Part biography, part history, In The Blood tells the story of how two outsiders ... developed and marketed QuikClot, a blood clotting agent that has helped save the lives of countless people injured in war and during violent episodes and accidents. Fascinating insider's look at an incredible story, it has to be read to be believed.
May 4, 2023
I won an ARC of this one in a goodreads giveaway.
This was cool. I had no idea about the history of Quikclot before this. It's a little slow in the beginning, but it picks up after a few chapters and then you're just in it.
This was cool. I had no idea about the history of Quikclot before this. It's a little slow in the beginning, but it picks up after a few chapters and then you're just in it.
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