A constant companion of life, pain leaves its mark on every activity, from everyday life to culture and science. Having professionally confronted this unpleasant symptom for decades, the renowned doctor and author G. A. Rigatos focuses on his second talent regarding pain, exploring the cultural, folkloric, historical, and scientific components of pain and the efforts to combat it.

His new book "Pain in Culture and the History of Medicine" is published by the Beta Medical Editions. The author needs no introduction. Prolific, with a keen interest in the folklore of medicine and health, he traces his subject through the intricate paths of history, folk traditions, different cultures, and the familiar realm of medical science with a vivid yet unadorned style.

The rich material he has gathered, using the methodical approach known to his regular readers, is organized into four sections, the first of which investigates the notions of pain in ancient Greek literature and language, mythology, theology, and folk traditions.

The second part seeks historical references to pain and its treatment among ancient peoples of China, India, America, and elsewhere, in Ancient Greece and Byzantium, up to the emergence of modern analgesics and anesthetics in our country.

In the third part, he attempts a more detailed view of the medications used against pain, from willow bark, opium, and cocaine to modern formulations.

Finally, the fourth chapter is dedicated to historical snapshots, some of which are captured in news reporting and literature, even in advertisements, concerning "miraculous" painkillers, empirical analgesic formulations, and even widely used narcotics.

The book concludes with a collection of texts on pain from Greek and international literature, as well as illustrations of pain and analgesics.