Nutrition and the Elderly

Ladd's analysis does much to clarify a field where fundamental assumptions have too often gone unexamined. Lisa Newton's "Hippocrates Lost, A Professional Ethic Regained" examines the morality underlying the Hippocratic Oath and explores its relevance to modern medicine. It is Newton's thesis that vestiges of the Hippocratic tradition, which enjoined physicians to practice their art in secrecy, stand in the way of equitable dealings between physician and patient. She urges the medical profession to reject paternalism and accept in its stead a contractual model as a basis for a modern doctor-patient relationship. Despite a glaring failure to explore the inadequacies of the contractual model-which presupposes equals dealing with each other at arm's length and cannot account for the discrepancies in expertise and need between doctor and patient-Newton's essay illuminates some anachronistic aspects of modern medicine. The volume also covers assorted topics in genetics, informed consent and paternalism, the role of the physician, and professional responsibility. As is often the case, appended commentaries of seminar participants add little to the value of the text. The originality, rigor, and readability of most of the contributions to this volume make it an important book for anyone interested in bioethics.