In bloodletting and miraculous cures, vincent lam holds in delicate and skillful tension black humour, investigations of both common and extraordinary moral dilemmas, and a sometimes shockingly realistic and matteroffact portrait of todays medical profession. Vincent lam is an emergency physician in toronto general and bloodletting and mirculous cures is his first book. In their quest for cures and enlightenment, many of these physicianscientists, their relatives, and patients embrace offbeat diagnostic techniques or unproven remedies. Set in his hometown, the stories feel more like chapters in a loosely told novel, revolving around four toronto doctors, than a standard short story collection. A critical analysis of bloodletting and miraculous cures. The second example from bloodletting and miraculous cures is another one of the four main characters named fitzgerald. Main characters bloodletting and miraculous cures darsi b. By following four young medical students and physicians ming, fitz, sri and chen this debut collection from 2006 scotiabank giller prize winner vincent lam is a riveting, eyeopening account of what it means to be a doctor. Few first books are fortunate enough to receive both high praise and big awards, but vincent lams bloodletting and miraculous cures deserves the attention. When medical student ming misplaces the head of her cadaver midway through dissection, readers should be prepared for a graphic, yet touching and often tragic, glimpse into the challenges of a medical career. The novel is a series of short stories that take the reader into the lives of each of the main characters. Ming, chen, fitzgerald and sri are young physicians whose lives intertwine both. The book, inspired by lams own experiences in medical school and as a professional physician, is a volume of interconnected short stories about the lives and relationships of fitzgerald, ming, chen and sri, four young medical students in toronto. Fitzgerald s character evolves throughout the stories, and his personality changes as he experiences new things.
Page 1100 symbols discussion sars sars is a disease that broke out across the world killing millions. In the series opener of this medical drama, husbandandwife doctors chen and ming plan on. The seventh in the set, entitled eli, heavily explores the theme of deception. The two moments in the first three stories in bloodletting and miraculous cures where fitzgerald is truly at peace are right after his bike accident and after he last sees ming. Bloodletting and miraculous cures offers a refreshing. Dietetics and purgatives, bloodletting, and so on were still favored treatments. My only request for season 2 should one be produced, bring back stephen mchattie for more episodes. Bloodletting and miraculous cures offers a refreshing, entertaining and sometimes disturbing view of doctors and doctoring that is satisfying to both readers unacquainted with the challenges of medicine and those all too aware of the messy reality of the practice. Bloodletting and miraculous cures is a giller prize winning novel written in 2005 by vincent lam. There is fitzgerald, the young doctor who cannot stop his drinking habit from taking over his life, and chen, called upon to ease his elderly grandfather toward. Fitz short for fitzgerald has a notsosecret drinking. They attempt to expand the scope of medical knowledge. He is an interesting character in the story and is the only one who shows a great shift in character. At the same time, lam has also incorporated elements that show the risks doctors face every day while trying to save others.
In the novel bloodletting and miraculous cures there are four protagonists. The collection follows four toronto doctors ming, sri, fitzgerald, and chen from hopeful undergrads to medical trainees to seasoned. Ming teaches fitzgerald how to prepare successfully by passing along learning tips her physiciancousin provided her in exchange for sex. The characters are doctors and people with little sense of their immigrant background. Bloodletting and miraculous cures takes the reader into the lives of 4 young doctors. Straightaway i found myself captivated and intrigued by lams detailed, yet elegant, imagery and descriptions. Lessons of life in bloodletting and miraculous cures by. Bloodletting and miraculous cures essay example graduateway. It is a credit to lam who uses his imagination and, no doubt, his experience as.
Discuss how some of the patients, doctors, and survivors emerge from suffering and violence. This series has a unique look and feel that seems far more honest than other medical genre tv series. Fitzgerald lies to her with the greatest tenderness i have within me. They started out as study partners and then a romantic relationship started when ming. Through the lives of ming, fitzgerald, sri, and chen, the triumphs, failures, goodness, and frailties of these individuals are beautifully crafted together with widely diverse and sometimes. Synopsis bloodletting and miraculous cures darsi b. In the middle of the night a local doctor tells fitzgerald that a recent ct. Given that he is only being asked to spend a few minutes in her bathroom with magazine porn and a plastic cupming requires fitzs raw materials to inseminate herselfthe decision is probably for the best. Fitzgerald, the fourth protagonist, is a loner who uses alcohol to exorcise his. Parttime writer and fulltime emergencyroom physician in toronto, vincent. From getting into medical school to dealing with an emergency case, the lives of these young professionals are never dull. Fitzgerald, a primary character throughout several short stories, lives with a tragic flaw that has unfavourable effects on his life, similar to other characters in the 4u english curriculum. Ming is so organized and sets a schedule for fitzgerald which does not allow him any free time, not wanting. Bloodletting and miraculous cures 1597 words bartleby.
The book, inspired by lams own experiences in medical school and as a professional physician, is a volume of interconnected short stories about the lives and relationships of fitzgerald. By following four young medical students and physicians ming, fitz. It is startling to read someone who has found the talent and time for two demanding careers. Fitzgerald, who grew up with an alcoholic father, struggles with his own. Less settled, fitzgerald tries several settings, including working for an air ambulance company. Fitz short for fitzgerald has a notsosecret drinking problem. Parttime writer and fulltime emergencyroom physician in toronto, vincent lam paints. A formidable debut, it is a profound and unforgettable depiction of todays doctors, patients, and hospitals. I was able to identify with many aspects of the first story, how to get into medical school, part i, especially the examination that takes place. Unusual for bloodletting and miraculous cures, the sex between fitz and ming wont be dramatized onscreen. His problem with alcohol emerges from deep disaffection and brooding resentment over mings callous rejection years earlier and her subsequent marriage to chen. While this quote was said nearly onehundred years ago, it still holds the same weight as is once did.
Ming and her classmates sri, chen, and fitzgerald face a variety of. The novel is a collection of short stories which make reference to the modern day medical field, through the characters of ming, fitzgerald, sri, and chen. Review of bloodletting and miraculous cures by vincent lam. Their unlikely relationship seemed academically platonic until it blossomed into mutual affection for each. Celebrated by critics and awarded one of canadas top literary prizes, bloodletting is a masterful, smart and engaging debut collection of short stories. The book, inspired by lams own experiences in medical school and as a professional physician, is a volume of interconnected short stories about the lives and relationships of fitzgerald, ming, chen and sri. Throughout medical school, fitz seemed to be the shy, innocent guy who falls in love with ming, but as he gets his heart broken when he cant be with her, and doesnt get into medical school the same. However, when are the few times that being chinese is made explicit. He was so deep in the hole that he failed to realize that his only moments of peace and grace where when he wasnt thinking of ming. He starts out as a very kind and almost shy undergraduate student who falls hopelessly. Bloodletting and miraculous cures william osler once said medicine is the science of uncertainty and the art of probability. As such, lams book represents a promising demonstration of fictions unique power. The first few chapters are about his and mings interactions. Fitzgerald takes a jet to guatemala to treat a tourist whos had a stroke.