Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Visionaries and Dreamers

2010; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 111; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1213/ane.0b013e3181e8b54b

1526-7598

Sorin J. Brull, J. Cartwright,

History of Medical Practice

Visionaries and Dreamers is a series of accounts about pioneers of Israeli anesthesiology. The author, Gabriel M. Gurman, MD, is a Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and both Hebrew and English translations were edited by Lior Granot. Dr. Gurman provides the details of the lives of innovative anesthesiologists through a series of interviews and is able to capture compelling stories of adversity and eventual triumphs. As the lives of these 12 anesthesiologists are described, the reader is pulled into what seems like an almost “sacred circle of leaders.” As an anesthesiologist, it was helpful to see how the book breaks down the elements of their leadership, and sheds light on each of these qualities separately: the importance of building a vision, the value of being bold and unconstrained by established rules, and having the foresight to build a solid, trustworthy team. These are invaluable lessons that would help the professional careers of all aspiring anesthesiologists. Dr. Gurman began his career with a generation of physicians who had already survived a horrific time. Many of Dr. Gurman's friends and colleagues narrowly escaped the front lines of the extermination camps of World War II through unimaginable acts of courage. These physicians were in some cases the only survivors of their entire families. Most of them migrated to the new state of Israel shortly after its establishment in1948. In the beginning, the scarcity of anesthesiologists in the new State of Israel meant that one anesthesiologist might cover an entire hospital. This is epitomized in the accounts of Dr. Thomas Gesztes, who had his own incarcerated hernia repaired under local anesthesia, and who afterwards anesthetized his patients while taking call duties the same night as his own surgery. This is an example of the ultimate “ambulatory” surgery experience! Each one of these anesthesiologists was instrumental in building departments (and societies) of anesthesia from “the ground up.” When Dr. Gurman migrated to Israel in 1972, anesthesia clinical practices were still in a rapid flux from what seemed archaic practices. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous, and clinical anesthesia care is now considered among the most advanced specialties in the field of medicine. In his book, Dr. Gurman interrupts his storytelling periodically to offer vignettes and historical commentaries on the various personalities and their personal and professional stories. Thus, the action of the book does not proceed chronologically; instead, it moves back and forth in time, depending on which colleague he is memorializing. This strategy of tying present-day individuals to events in the past is very helpful to those readers who may not be very familiar with the geography and history of Israel. There are many stories of success and significant advances in clinical care in the field of anesthesiology, most of which were achieved through hard work, perseverance, dedication, and an unwillingness to succumb to the “status quo.” However, anesthesia was far from ideal in Israel, especially from an academic and professional standpoint. This is illustrated by Dr. Shamay Cotev, head of the first intensive care unit (ICU) in Israel, who is quoted in the book as having said, “In retrospect, I wouldn't have gone into anesthesia.” This is perhaps the only part of this bright and optimistic book that touches on the harsh reality that much more work is still needed—in anesthesia and in medicine. Currently, <2% of the graduates of medical schools in Israel choose to pursue postgraduate training in anesthesiology! In this well-written book, Dr. Gurman takes the reader into the middle of Israeli anesthesia history. The tremendous strides of the past 50 years are apparent, but the summit is yet to be achieved. Dr. Gurman's book provides us with direction regarding where we need to be in the future. This book is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, and is recommended reading for young and old anesthesiologists not only for its historical value, but more importantly, for the optimistic glimpse it provides into the future of anesthesiology, medicine, and humanity.