Help me design a medical elective where I can read literature

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I'm a third-year medical student interested in designing an elective for my fourth year, during which I can read literature that has a medical bent. In particular, I'd like to read Russian novels with a theme such as "Treatment of the Madman in Russian Literature." Any suggestions for themes/books?

Thanks!

― Amelia Virostko (Amelia V), Sunday, 12 February 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

it's different from what you asked for but you might keep in mind the old standby, doctor-authors (see here e.g.).

― Josh (Josh), Sunday, 12 February 2006 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

i suppose you already got diary of a madman down huh

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 13 February 2006 00:48 (nineteen years ago)

and i don't remember THAT many madmen but hello, cancer ward.

― Josh (Josh), Monday, 13 February 2006 05:22 (nineteen years ago)

"best scene with a doctor"

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 13 February 2006 05:35 (nineteen years ago)

This shouldn't be too difficult to formulate - and it's a great idea! Depends on how specific you want to be - e.g., Russian literature only, representations of "madness" in literature, etc.
I just did a (university) library subject search for "medicine in literature" and that brought up a lot of things. Other searchs: Body, Human, in literature; Anatomy in literature; psychology in literature, etc, etc. Some interesting stuff, for sure.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 13 February 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Madness: Tender is the Night, Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea. There's always trusty Captain Ahab.
Watch Truffaut's History of Adele H!
I just read "Ship Fever," a story collection with one novella, by Andrea Barrett, which I recommend if you are willing to include contemporary writers. Nothing about madness, but lots about fledgeling science, and the novella is set in a quarantined island during an epidemic. Historical fiction.

― Beth Parker (Beth Parker), Monday, 13 February 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Tlooth by Harry Mathews for its ew description of yaws.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 13 February 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

I've always thought it would interesting to look at representations of 'consumption'/TB in literature/art.

The Yellow Wallpaper is not Russian but it is excellent about madness/confinement/the pathologisation of femaleness.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 13 February 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

"Dear and Glorious Physician" by Taylor Caldwell for a look at medicine 2000 years ago....

― pepektheassassin (pepektheassassin), Thursday, 16 February 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Doctor Writers?

― tom west (thomp), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 02:18 (nineteen years ago)

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