Linde (Of Spirits and Madness
), clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California–San Francisco medical school, performs a remarkably successful balancing act by presenting both the theory and practice of emergency room psychiatry in a compelling manner. He personalizes his cases and demonstrates how essential the human dimension is in high-quality care. Using 10 fascinating case studies from his 17-year career—with patients manifesting symptoms from suicidal behavior to catatonia—Linde discusses the medical, legal, philosophical and ethical implications of treatment options. He brings the reader along as he is forced to make almost immediate diagnoses and determine courses of treatment, including incarceration, that have the potential to shape (or end) these patients' lives. It becomes abundantly clear that there are rarely simple, straightforward answers. Linde quotes a professional bromide: “[t]he only thing that two psychiatrists can agree on is that a third one is wrong.” He's a talented writer and a compassionate doctor who understands what works best for him and his patients: “while my head works pretty well, my real strength as a physician comes from the heart.” (Jan.)
