Robin Cook "Brain"

Author: Robin Cook Title: Brain Year of publication: 1981 Medical topic: human experimentation Description: Just a few decades ago, a patient admitted to a hospital had no right to access test results and was not asked for consent to undergo diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Although the patient was certainly often underinformed (and, for that matter, this is still the case) and not always at peace with the procedures to be performed on them, the purpose of hospitalization was just—cure. Many years ago, and perhaps even now, under unknown circumstances, acts occur that, by their very nature, have dire consequences—at least for those “undergoing the procedures.” At the Medical Academy, a group of female students begins to exhibit nonspecific symptoms—nausea, vomiting, headaches, and difficulty understanding simple phrases. One of the girls undergoes surgery to remove a malfunctioning temporal lobe. However, complications arise during the operation, and the patient dies. Concerned by the whole affair, Dr. Martin Philips decides to look into the matter. He steals the body and decides to perform a CT scan. To his surprise, however, it turns out that there is no brain in the skull. As he tries to solve the mystery, he encounters ever-new obstacles. Another Cook thriller? And even if it is? See for yourself!