Blood And Guts: A Short History Of Medicine
by Roy Porter /
2004 / English / EPUB
2.3 MB Download
"Chock-full of astonishing facts and fascinating
illustrations."―
"Chock-full of astonishing facts and fascinating
illustrations."―Booklist
BooklistAn eminently readable, entertaining romp through the history of
our vain and valiant efforts to heal ourselves. Mankind's battle to
stay alive and healthy for as long as possible is our oldest, most
universal struggle. With his characteristic wit and vastly informed
historical scope, Roy Porter examines the war fought between
disease and doctors on the battleground of the flesh from ancient
times to the present. He explores the many ingenious ways in which
we have attempted to overcome disease through the ages: the
changing role of doctors, from ancient healers, apothecaries, and
blood-letters to today's professionals; the array of drugs, from
Ayurvedic remedies to the launch of Viagra; the advances in
surgery, from amputations performed by barbers without anesthetic
to today's sophisticated transplants; and the transformation of
hospitals from Christian places of convalescence to modern medical
powerhouses. Cleverly illustrated with historic line drawings, the
chronic ailments of humanity provide vivid anecdotes for Porter's
enlightening story of medicine's efforts to prevail over a
formidable and ever-changing adversary.
An eminently readable, entertaining romp through the history of
our vain and valiant efforts to heal ourselves. Mankind's battle to
stay alive and healthy for as long as possible is our oldest, most
universal struggle. With his characteristic wit and vastly informed
historical scope, Roy Porter examines the war fought between
disease and doctors on the battleground of the flesh from ancient
times to the present. He explores the many ingenious ways in which
we have attempted to overcome disease through the ages: the
changing role of doctors, from ancient healers, apothecaries, and
blood-letters to today's professionals; the array of drugs, from
Ayurvedic remedies to the launch of Viagra; the advances in
surgery, from amputations performed by barbers without anesthetic
to today's sophisticated transplants; and the transformation of
hospitals from Christian places of convalescence to modern medical
powerhouses. Cleverly illustrated with historic line drawings, the
chronic ailments of humanity provide vivid anecdotes for Porter's
enlightening story of medicine's efforts to prevail over a
formidable and ever-changing adversary.
