"More people enjoy good health and live to old age today than at any other time in history," says David Dietz at the beginning of this absorbing book.

We often forget how lucky we are to be living in the day of vaccines, antibiotics, and modern surgical techniques. As this book shows, the great discoveries in medicine and surgery came through the efforts of individuals -- men such as Pasteur and Lister in the past, men such as Fleming and Salk in our own century.

Often the individuals worked toward the same goal -- even across national boundaries. The conquest of one old disease or the perfection of one new medical technique may represent the work of several researchers, each making an important contribution to the science of saving lives.

More medical research is carried on today than ever before. Scientists are certain that the discoveries of the next few years will be far more wonderful than anything up to now. All About Great Medical Discoveries tells of the great progress already made -- and suggests what is still to come.

From the book