"This is a remarkable book by the UK’s leading medical anthropologist. Gilbert Lewis was both a professional anthropologist and a trained medical doctor. He brought these skills and extraordinary personal insight when carrying out pioneering fieldwork in Papua New Guinea. In this his final book, he retains the clarity of his original lectures and extends his analysis to healing processes in Africa. It is a striking achievement, invaluable for anyone specializing in medical anthropology today."
— Murray Last, author of The Sokoto Caliphate
"As fresh as if it were written yesterday, this historical account of the everyday life of falling ill—and of the care or callousness elicited thereby—is augmented by anthropological debates of the time. Not only when speaking of the Gnau people, Gilbert Lewis' pragmatic compassion shines through the exquisite quality of observation and the measured, even-handed pace of his prose. It is wonderful to hear his thoughts and insights all over again in this way."
— Marilyn Strathern, author of Before and After Gender
"Lewis' concise ethnographic descriptions, combined with profound reflections on medicine and society, morality and practical reasoning, bring back to life his gentle caution to 'tread carefully' in one’s thinking. The self-conscious alertness his lectures instilled in audiences demonstrates that medical anthropology—a field he cofounded—has profound contributions to make for humankind."
— Elisabeth Hsu, author of Pulse Diagnosis in Early Chinese Medicine