Main description:

David J. Peck's Or Perish in the Attempt ingeniously combines the remarkable adventures of Lewis and Clark with an examination of the health problems their expedition faced. Formidable problems indeed, but the author patiently, expertly-and humorously-guides us through the medical travails of the famous journey, juxtaposing treatment then against remedy now. The result is a fascinating book that sheds new light not only on Lewis and Clark and the men and one remarkable woman (and her infant) who accompanied them along an eight-thousand-mile wilderness path but also on the practice of medicine in their time and place.

Contents:

AcknowledgmentsForewordIntroductionChapter 1 - Politics and Passion: The Exploration of the American WildernessChapter 2 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark: The Right Stuff of 1803Chapter 3 - Just Doing the Best We Can: Development of American Medicine 1620-1803Chapter 4 - Into the Starting Blocks: The Expedition PreparesChapter 5 - Misqutrs on the Ohio: The Trip Gets UnderwayChapter 6 - Snakes in the Grass & Bugs in the River: Rattlers and Diarrhea on the MissouriChapter 7 - The Sun and Dying Young: A Lucky Streak EndsChapter 8 - They Should Have Danced All Night: "Louis Veneri" Joins the CorpsChapter 9 - Cold Toes and a Baby Boy: Winter with the MandansChapter 10 - Wild Times in Old Montana: Act One: May-June 1805Chapter 11 - Wild Times in Old Montana: Act Two: May-July 1805Chapter 12 - From a Torrent to a Trickle: To the Headwaters of the MissouriChapter 13 - No Place for Mockersins: Over the BitterrootsChapter 14 - A Winter of Pore Elk and Flees: The Pacific 1805-1806Chapter 15 - A Clash of Cultures: March-April 1806Chapter 16 - Frontier Doctor and Medical Diplomats: Great Challenges in IdahoChapter 17 - Wild Times in Old Montana: Act Three: June-August 1806Chapter 18 - Near Disaster and Then . . . : Back Home: August and September 1806Chapter 19 - Ghosts of Explorations Past: Fates of the Corps of DiscoveryChapter 20 - Fiddles and Friendships: The Sinews of SuccessAppendix One - Riddles of Nature: The World's Medical ExpeditionAppendix Two - Medicines of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Helpful Pharmacy Terms, Lewis & Clark's Medicine Chest, Instruments and Other SuppliesNotesBibliographyIndex