From James

Blog Post for “Strangers at the Bedside”

This book was certainly well written and a valuable contribution to health care and bioethics. I have not had a whole lot of experience in studying or learning about bioethics, including topics such as human experimentation and organ transplants. I think is tremendous ability to tell the history of bioethics starts with his research and profession as a professor of social medicine. His well written study goes further into the realm of the social ramifications bioethics had on society and the response people and the health care field had on these topics. The one thing that I want to also comment on was the extensive research Rothman accumulated for this book. His research extends to many different primary and secondary sources and I think that this really made his book that more convincing and valuable. In particular, I found it interesting that he included Congressional hearings and records on this topic. I think when something goes to Congress it is that much more controversial and interesting. I found his ability to incorporate these findings into the book that much better to his narrative. A well written and profound book.

Blog Post for “On Speed”

I found this book to be very well written and detail oriented. Rasmussen really gives a full description and analysis of the rise of amphetamines and the destructive power that they can have over patients and people. I think he did a great job at describing not only the historical perspective of amphetamines, but the current scene and how certain drugs are being consumed and discussed today. His particular discussion of Adderall and Ritalin are convincing and interesting. I never knew the type of impact these amphetamines had on people, and especially the youth. I know many people who take Adderall and they take it like a vitamin or something. It seems like it is a part of their everyday routine and it is like they have become so consumed with it that it becomes second nature. Being a prospective high school teacher and having some experience in classrooms, I have become familiar with the phenomenon of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) within students and the school’s effort to combat it. It seems as if more and more students are getting prescribed to Adderall and it is something that is alarming and concerning in my opinion.