"Phantom Limbs" **and** "Glowing Wounds"! (Next Book Project)

My messages just before Halloween on the subjects of "Phantom Limbs" and "Glowing Wounds" allow for a convenient segue in describing my next book project: Phantom Limbs and Glowing Wounds: Essays on Civil War Medicine, due from Edinborough Press in Spring 2009.

The book is based on my "Medical Department" column that has appeared in the The Civil War News since late 2000. I had originally thought about adapting my short (1000-word) columns into longer chapters, but decided against it for a very important reason. The whole premise of the column is to bring to light - through interviews - interesting research on Civil War medicine that is being performed by specialists in their fields. Rather than adapt or synthesize other people's original and interesting work on my own, I concluded to invite some of my favorite interview subjects to contribute their own essays. It took awhile to recruit a sufficient number of willing participants, but I was able to, and am so pleased with the calibre of the essayists.

The book will include essays on urological and neurological wounds, mental health, biographies of important personalities, Confederate pharmacy, nursing, period medical education, and other subjects, all by top professionals in their respective fields, including Harry Herr, M.D., Jay Bollet, M.D., Judith Andersen, Ph.D., Guy Hasegawa, Pharm.D., F. Terry Hambrecht, M.D., D. J. Canale, M.D., Jodi Koste, M.A., and Kathleen Hanson, Ph.D. I'll be serving as editor of the volume and will contribute a chapter of my own.

What's more, as collaborators, we have all agreed that royalties from the book will be donated to Civil War preservation, with an emphasis on medicine.

I've already received some of the contributions and will continue receiving material through next spring. I'll use the spring and summer to edit and correspond with the contributors. Te manuscript will be finished by fall 2008 and in print in spring 2009.

Stay posted for more details.