Medicine in Brief
Name the Disease in Haiku, Tanka and Art
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Book Cover & Preview Text
Fleeting infiltrates The eosinophils trail Larval winding paths Loffler Syndrome Syndrome of pulmonary and peripheral eosinophilia with fleeting lung infiltrates due to the transpulmonary passage of helminth larvae. Ascaris, hookworms and Strongyloides all have life cycles that involve passage through the lungs via the bloodstream. The syndrome was first described by Loffler in 1956 as primarily due to Ascaris larvae. The clinical picture ranges from asymptomatic to dyspnea, wheezing and blood-tinged sputum containing eosinophil-derived Charcot-Leyden crystals. Diagnosis is made through the isolation of helminth larvae in the sputum.
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About the Book
Medicine in Brief is a collection of poems in traditional Japanese haiku and tanka form. Each poem strives to capture the uniqueness of a particular disease, serving both as puzzle and springboard for education about the illness.
About the Author
Author profile:
Dr. Cynthia Cooper is an award-winning medical educator at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Core Educator Faculty for the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is passionate about the use of creative approaches to medical education and making the complex world of Medicine accessible to all learners. She lives in Carlisle, MA with her husband and children.
Illustrator profile:
Dr. Pamela Chen is currently a Pediatrics resident at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. Her medical interests include education, mentoring and diversity inclusion. Outside of the hospital, she spends her time painting and singing. She lives in Brookline, MA with her husband and mischievous cat.