Whether mild or deadly, anemia affects an essential body fluid: blood. Probing deeply into this illness as metaphor, Charles L. Bardes explores the impact of both science and culture on its treatment across the ages. His innovative "life" of this condition ranges widely through history, art, literature, and clinical practice to examine how the way doctors think influences the practice of medicine.

Diseasification -- Pallor -- The malice sickle -- The green sicknesse -- Anemia's old tale -- What the doctor is thinking -- Diagnostic ceremonies -- Spleen -- Marrow -- Diseases of the blood -- Anemia world -- Iron -- Bloodletting -- Transfusion -- Is anemia good for you? -- The blood of the Medusa -- The birth of clinical tragedy -- Why again Greeks?.