Rudolf Virchow — Leslie Dunn

This historical fiction is based on the true story of Rudolf Virchow, M.D., the Father of Pathology. Our world is a better place because Virchow, a brash, pint-sized, charismatic German doctor would not stand down. The King banished him from Berlin, colleagues ridiculed his discoveries and businessmen opposed his efforts on behalf of the poor. Dr. Virchow used words as sharp as his scalpel to eradicate thousands of years of medical nonsense. This pioneer helped usher in medical standards of nursing, chemotherapy and anesthesia we practice today. Recognized in his time as an international expert, his life culminated in ground-breaking methods of public sanitation, medical discoveries and countless frustrating and victorious hours in politics. Far from a dry, boring intellectual, this farmer's son's magnetic personality generated extreme reactions of those around him. He was either loved or despised. His status as a government dissident caught the attention of the highest powers in Germany. The King booted Virchow from Berlin at a most inopportune time â€" during Virchow's wedding. Bismarck challenged him to a duel. Colleagues stood in line to heckle or join him. The book was written to ensure Virchow's story is not lost in time. Much of the book was told by Virchow himself through letters he wrote to his parents during the most tumultuous years of his life. Virchow lived four lives in one. All of them made a difference.