Dr. Joseph Goldberger overcame awesome odds to rise from a childhood in the teeming slums of New York to a place among medicine's immortals. Born in Hungary, he was only seven when his family came to America. Through the brilliance, hard work and the unselfish sacrifices of his family he earned his M.D.—only to turn his back on a profitable private practice to join the fledgling U.S. Public Health Service. Goldberger requested the most perilous assignments, and nearly died of yellow fever and typhus contracted in his research work. His beautiful and aristocratic wife encouraged his efforts, despite the risks. His greatest triumph as a scientific detective came when he discovered the cause and cure for pellagra, the most dreaded and baffling disease of his day. The life of this brilliant scientist is one of the most inspiring sagas of modern medicine.

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