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Circumstance
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
500 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1901
About the author
S. Weir Mitchell
256 books5 followersSilas Weir Mitchell was an American physician and writer.
During the Civil War he had charge of nervous injuries and maladies at Turners Lane Hospital, Philadelphia, and at the close of the war became a specialist in neurology. In this field Weir Mitchell's name became prominently associated with his introduction of the rest cure, subsequently taken up by the medical world, for nervous diseases, particularly hysteria; the treatment consisting primarily in isolation, confinement to bed, dieting and massage. His medical texts include Injuries of Nerves and Their Consequences (1872) and Fat and Blood (1877). Mitchell's disease (erythromelalgia) is named after him.
During the Civil War he had charge of nervous injuries and maladies at Turners Lane Hospital, Philadelphia, and at the close of the war became a specialist in neurology. In this field Weir Mitchell's name became prominently associated with his introduction of the rest cure, subsequently taken up by the medical world, for nervous diseases, particularly hysteria; the treatment consisting primarily in isolation, confinement to bed, dieting and massage. His medical texts include Injuries of Nerves and Their Consequences (1872) and Fat and Blood (1877). Mitchell's disease (erythromelalgia) is named after him.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 29, 2011
Mitchell's one of those authors who's been pretty much lost to time—perhaps because he lived in and wrote about the aristocrats of post Civil War Philadelphia—and it's a shame. His excellent sense of dialogue and character carries through at a solid, quick pace.
An evil adventuress, Mrs. Hunter, befriends airhead young Kitty and ingratiates herself with Kitty's aging, deteriorating Uncle Jonathan for reasons even she cannot explain. There's not a whole lot of plot, but that probably didn't concern Mitchell much. His characters—especially the women—are the whole point: a lively, likable bunch (even the villains and doofuses) with strong opinions in conflicting directions.
Though they make much talk of the position of the city's elite and of breeding, the characters don't seem bothered by it in practice, forming their attachments based on human worth.
Where Mitchell falls down is in growing tired of a scene and suddenly packing the speakers off as though they're being swept out the door. He also, like Lisa Scottoline much later, makes almost no use of the physical city. But he's fun—a lot more fun, with his sardonic sense of humor, than you might expect.
An evil adventuress, Mrs. Hunter, befriends airhead young Kitty and ingratiates herself with Kitty's aging, deteriorating Uncle Jonathan for reasons even she cannot explain. There's not a whole lot of plot, but that probably didn't concern Mitchell much. His characters—especially the women—are the whole point: a lively, likable bunch (even the villains and doofuses) with strong opinions in conflicting directions.
Though they make much talk of the position of the city's elite and of breeding, the characters don't seem bothered by it in practice, forming their attachments based on human worth.
Where Mitchell falls down is in growing tired of a scene and suddenly packing the speakers off as though they're being swept out the door. He also, like Lisa Scottoline much later, makes almost no use of the physical city. But he's fun—a lot more fun, with his sardonic sense of humor, than you might expect.
Displaying 1 of 1 review