Twelve Patients, Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital

Eric Manheimer wrote Twelve Patients, Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital.   He ought to know.  He worked there for 15 years as the chief medical officer.  He writes the story of people who fall through the cracks in society.  Abandoned children, psychotic homeless people, traumatized teens, and drug addicted Wall Street brokers all have chapters in this book.  One of the hardest chapters to read was about the author's own treatment for his cancer of the esophagus.  The stories in this book are medical but also psychological, economic, social, and even anthropological (hoping that is a word).  Bellevue is the oldest hospital in our country and treats the rich and poor, the criminal and the crime busters in New York City.  I thought all twelve stories were fascinating.