Book Log 2008 #58: Charlatan by Pope Brock

It's likely you've not heard of John R. Brinkley, but it's a pretty safe bet that our grandparents have. Brinkley operated a series of clinics (first in Kansas and later in Texas and Arkansas) where he transplanted glandular material from goats into people (mostly men) in order to boost virility. The only problem is that the procedure never really worked and that Brinkley wasn't really a doctor. But that didn't stop thousands of people from seeking out cures, which would later include other procedures and substances with about as much benefit.

This book chronicles Brinkley's rise and eventual fall at the hands of Morris Fishbein, a central character in the rise of the American Medical Association. It also illustrates how some of the things that Brinkley did to support his business - from running for governor of Kansas to estabilishing a "border blaster" radio station in Mexico - would later become established aspects of our lives. It's an engrossing story on several levels and well worth a read.