Review of The Horrors of Holistic Medicine

[Oyedeji Okikioluwa]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Horrors of Holistic Medicine" by June B. Schmidt (pen name).]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Horrors of Holistic Medicine by June B. Schmidt is a non-fiction book. The 28-chapter book is a memoir of the author's journey through years of wrong diagnosis and medical treatment.

Dr. Jim Berry had come highly recommended to June. Little did she know that her connection with Dr. Jim was the beginning of sixteen long years of medical deception. Dr. Jim ran the Arcadia Clinic and was a member of the American Association of Holistic Medicine. This organization professes to treat the whole person; body, mind, and spirit. It advocates minimal use of dangerous prescription drugs, preferring to treat the body with vitamins and natural remedies. June was placed on iron medication for the treatment of her anemia. Even though the treatment never worked, the clinic never referred her to specialists for proper checkups. After several studies on her condition, June reached out to a gynecologist who correctly diagnosed her ailment and got her the appropriate treatment. Please read this book to see how misdiagnosis by the hospital cost her years of pain and probably the joy of motherhood.

The author was detailed in her narrative. She included entries from her journal and letters that she wrote to her neurologist and Arizona Nursing Association. Also, she explained most of the medical terms in layman's language. This made the book an easy read.

I loved how she took her time to do in-depth research of her ailments and prescribed drugs. Most people are too lazy to do that. Her story proves that doctors are not infallible, and it never hurts to get a second opinion. I admire Dr. Lance (her gynecologist) and Dr. Fields' (her hematologist) patience. She had so many questions that would have frustrated many practitioners. But they both had answered each of her questions and listened to her opinions. This is a virtue that should be well ingrained in doctors. On the other hand, Arcadia Clinic's practitioners had turned deaf ears to her and never apologized for their obvious errors. I also liked how she shared her struggles with her husband, church, and friends. Her faith in God was also one of the highlights of the book for me. Even though she went from one ailment to the other, she never gave up.

There is nothing I dislike about the book. I do not think anyone can begin to understand the trouble June went through. My heart aches for her. I love how her actions are an encouragement for patients to take charge of their treatment. Also, the book was exceptionally edited, as I did not find a word out of place. Therefore, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend the book to people who have been victims of medical misdiagnosis. Also, people who have a question or two about holistic medicine might get answers from the book.

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The Horrors of Holistic Medicine
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[Kanchan Sharma]

Many people go through this problem of not getting diagnosed properly. It is extremely sad to know that the practice of such clinics is still going on in many parts of the world. I am waiting to read it. Great review.

[Amy Luman]

I always suspected this. I know that neurological problems are hard to diagnose. Even harder to treat. Research into the problem is key.

[The frant1c reader]

This book could be a good lesson and peak into the life of medical workers and patients alike. Thank you for such a good review !