White Witchdoctor

Rating:
Summary: Hello Doctor Hunt-- Very Good Book
Review: I have a soft spot for Dr. Hunt although I have not spoken to him in years. When I realized who wrote this book I grabbed it at once. It is fascinating to see what experiences lie behind his soft manner, dry wit and occasional ascerbic comment. There is also a streak of sentimentalism that I did not expect at all, but which is quite touching.

If you are interested in reading about South Africa or the adventures of a medical man in a nation under stress then I would highly recommend this very readable book.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable depiction of real emergency room events!
Review: I would give this book a gold star! John Hunt has clearly lived an enviable life, and his depiction of real world events in the emergency room at Baragwaneth Hospital is quite amazing and in many cases hard to fathom. If it weren't for the photographs, it would be hard to believe some of the events are true. For those with a real interest in South African history, and for those with a medical background, this book is top drawer. A quick read, you can finish the book in a few hours and won't put it down once you start reading.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable depiction of real emergency room events!
Review: I would give this book a gold star! John Hunt has clearly lived an enviable life, and his depiction of real world events in the emergency room at Baragwaneth Hospital is quite amazing and in many cases hard to fathom. If it weren't for the photographs, it would be hard to believe some of the events are true. For those with a real interest in South African history, and for those with a medical background, this book is top drawer. A quick read, you can finish the book in a few hours and won't put it down once you start reading.

Rating:
Summary: White Witchdoctor
Review: This book is a riveting account of the author's 16- year experience as a white surgeon in Baragwaneth hospital for 'non-whites' in apartheid South Africa during the period1960-1976.
What he describes is "ER": for real - not an artificial TV series but an actual hospital in which devoted doctors and nurses dealt with real life and death situations, sometimes with wry humour, always with dedication.
Every page is alive with the gripping details of the surgical problems encountered and how the staff coped with them in spite of the often inadequate technology of 30 years ago.
Employing an agreeably laid-back style, the author gives lively descriptions of patients, nurses and fellow doctors, providing inter alia a vivid insight into South Africa as it was then. I feel that anyone interested in events in South Africa would find this book extremely interesting; and anyone interested in the tasks confronting doctors in a turbulent society such as South Africa was, would find this book invaluable and what's more a very good read.