Medicine & Health

We examine how our notions of sex and gender has changed over the centuries with historian Thomas Laqueur, author of the book, "Making Sex."

Psychiatric-social worker Raymond M. Scurfield is the Director of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Program at the American Lake V.A. Center in Washington State. He served in Vietnam, treating psychiatric casualties. He talks about the typical problems found in combat, the dilemma of sending G.I.'s back into battle, and he speculates on the difficulties G.I.s will face in the Gulf.

Psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton talks about the psychological effects of the current war in the Middle East. Despite the risk of what he calls "psychic numbing," he thinks citizens should stay engaged with the conflict and follow coverage of it in the news.

Aldridge played in two Superbowls and started a successful career as a broadcaster. In the 1970s, he developed schizophrenia and lost his job, money, wife, family and home. Aldridge now travels the country, talking about his disease and recovery, and about our incorrect attitudes toward mental disease.

Jeffrey Masson was once a leading advocate of Freudian therapy. In recent years, he's condemned that type of approach. He shares his insights into conventional psychology in his new book, Final Analysis.

Medical writer Ann Giudici Fettner was celebrated by the gay community for her reporting on the AIDS crisis. She has a new book about other viral diseases called Viruses: Agents of Change.

Aldyn McKean and Tracy Morgan join Fresh Air to talk about their organization's recent efforts to advocate for better and more accessible health care for individuals with the diseases.

With fellow reporter Jerry Bishop, Michael Waldholz has written a new book, called Genome. It covers recent developments in gene therapy and explores the controversy surrounding the human genome project. Waldholz is a staff writer for the Wall Street Journal.

Ruth Macklin is an ethicist who helped develop a new philosophical approach to patient-focused care. She advocates for the informed consent model of medical treatment, and advises doctors and medical professionals on the best way to help resolve difficult issues, especially when their desires conflict with those of the patient.

Dallas Morning News columnist A.C. Green got a new heart in 1988, seven months after being added to the transplant list. His new book, Taking Heart, details the experience of waiting, surgery, and recovery.