This work follows a doctor who works in a nursing home for the terminally ill in Holland. Various patients' stories are interspersed with philosophical discussions between three doctors, Jaarsma, Anton and Van Gooyer, about their profession, truth, despair and faith. The book also examines a range of other topics such as the history of medicine, the placebo-effect, the meagre scientific content of medical practice, the oddness of the verb to die, the failure of cancer research and the way in which our minds are anchored to our brains. Euthanasia is a recurrent theme, and detailed accounts of several cases are included.