Backstories in Epidemiology
Backstories in Epidemiology: True Medical Mysteries is a series of case studies edited by Lloyd Novick, Carole Novick, and John Marr. Written in the spirit of Berton Roueche’s classic Eleven Blue Men and Other Narratives of Medical Detection, Backstories in Epidemiology will appeal to students, practitioners, and health professionals at all levels. Stay tuned for a new, true medical mystery, published each month here on JPHMP Direct.

Dr. Lloyd F. Novick
Lloyd F. Novick, MD, MPH is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Public Health at the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University. Previously, he was chair of this Department. He has served as the Commissioner of Health and Secretary for Human Services of Vermont, Director of Health Services for Arizona, and Director of the Office of Public Health for New York State. Previous academic positions include Professor and Director of the Preventive Medicine Program for SUNY Upstate Medical University, Professor and Chair of Epidemiology at the University of Albany School of Public Health, and Clinical Professor and Director of the Teaching Program in Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine. He is the Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. He is also editor of five books, including Public Health Administration: Principles for Population-Based Management; Public Health Issues in Disaster Preparedness; Community-Based Prevention Programs that Work; Public Health Leaders Tell Their Stories; and Health Problems in the Prison Setting. [Full bio]
Read All Stories in This Series:
- The Babies Are Dying by Marcus Horowitz, MD, Carole Novick, and Lloyd F. Novick, MD, MPH
- Of Bites and Men: The Most Dangerous Urban Animal by John S. Marr, MD, MPH, and Alan M. Beck, ScD
- Clam Aches by Cynthia Morrow, MD, MPH
- Bad Air, Bad Blood: A Homeric Admonition by John S. Marr, MD, MPH, and Robert M. Maulitz, MD
- It’s All in the Bottle by Asim A. Jani, MD, MPH
- The World’s Deadliest Poison by John S. Marr, MD, MPH, and Marcus A. Horwitz, MD
- Mystery in the Pines by Gus Birkhead, MD, MPH
- Introducing Backstories in Epidemiology: True Medical Mysteries
- Introducing a New Series of Epidemiologic Case Studies: Podcast with Dr. John Marr