Blood and Guts: A Short History of Medicine by Roy Porter (PDF)

Description

Ideas tumble out of Porter like wonders from some scholarly horn of plenty. —Sherwin B. Nuland, The New RepublicAn 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.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I ordered this for MCOM, Health communications. This was exactly what I needed and the description of the condition was what I got. Book reads well and the condition is great!

⭐Very interesting history of the evolution of medical practice from antiquity to modern times (2002, so it misses the latest scientific heights). Each of the eight chapters is written from a different perspective, beginning with how animal pathogens colonized humans, resulting in pendemics as humans stopped roaming the plains, the evolution of the professionals, the slow discovery of the understanding of human organs because of early prohibition of dissection, the growing role of the laboratory as chemistry provided new insights, the gradual understanding of pharmacology, advances in surgery, the changing role of hospitals and finally the rise of the medical industrial complex which has decimated the intimate doctor/patient relationship.

⭐I am SO glad that I bough this! It’s a great book and very interesting. It’s to-the-point and flows with ease when reading it. I really love this book.

⭐This was a good, fairly written overview of the history of medicine in the West. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who wants a “Cliff Notes” history. Since this book is several years old, it makes me curious as to what the author would think about Obama care and the current attempts to repeal it.

⭐An abbreviated history of medicine, a much-edited version of “The greatest benefit to mankind.” Interesting, but far from complete. A good intro for budding historians of medicine.

⭐This was a fascinating review of how we have gotten to modern medicine. From the plague to modern day diseases, I was captivated by the story telling abilities of Roy Porter. Blood letting, leeches, mercury, and vapors are not a good way to cure diseases, fun fact.

⭐Ray Porter goes chapter by chapter through the history of medicine with relation to its different elements. The body, medicines, hospitals, etc. So the book is a long list of names, dates and achievements/viewpoints.It is quite an easy read. But, overall, I was left with the feeling that a lot of drama and “excitement” was missing. I have to admit that others who read it in my book club did not share this opinion.

⭐I had to buy this book for a college course I was taking and we had specific chapters we had to read each week. I couldn’t put this book down. I read a head of the class and finished it within a week. There are a lot of interesting things I learned about the development of medicine from this book. Definitly a must read.

⭐This book does not have lots of blood and guts in it. What it does have is a series of linked episodes that together describe the history behind many medical practises still in use today.The story the book is trying to put across relates to societies attitude to medicine and surgery as well as the treatments that went with them.It shows that in many ways society is just as prudish as it was hundreds of years ago in how it feels about medical practise.The book can be read in sections to cover each turn of the medical establishment in line with social prejudice.An easy read, and a book that can be dipped into a chapter or to at a time for bedtime reading.

⭐Very informative with intriguing facts from historic events. Can’t help but feel that the language and style was a little bit too heady for a lay man like myself.

⭐Some chapters more interesting than others

⭐Excellent book and a very good short introduction to Porters more detailed version A HISTORY of Medicine. Plainly porter knows his stuff and makes it reasonably easy to read too. Good for the scholar or just those interested in the subject.

⭐My daughter liked this book and found it very useful for her studies. It is easy to read and interestingly put together.

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