Negative Positive
Title: A Candid Appraisal of CPR in America
Review: Of the roughly 400,000 "sudden deaths" in the United States each year, only about 1-3% of those undergoing CPR outside the hospital survive. This low figure of survival is accompanied by a high price tag, both economically and emotionally. Timmermans takes a candid look at CPR, exposing its myths and problematic areas, and I found his book historically well researched and balanced. I do have some reservations about some of the misleading statements he makes in chapter 5, especially his mistake of treating 'social inequality' as a synonym for 'unjust', accompanied by the false implication that social value affects survival during a hospital resuscitation effort. On the whole, however, he does a fine job and his extensive historical research and interviews with health care workers make this a fine book. It serves as an excellent antidote to the overly optimistic expectations generated by TV shows and CPR training courses.
Is the review positive or negative? 