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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I thought the compilation of stories were all interesting and at times eye opening about the history of medicine and how far we’ve come. It makes me wonder what type of treatments we use now will be considered antiquated centuries from now. However, I felt the author’s commentary usually completely unnecessary outside of the scope of giving us context and explaining terms. I understand that he’s trying to give us some personality rather than a collection of obscure medical articles, but I found myself often rolling my eyes at his unfunny jokes. At first I thought it was his British humor, but I actually enjoy British humor and have a very similar sense of humor myself. I’m not sure what he could have done different, but I guess it just wasn’t for me.
I read this for the r/books book club - January 2020.
I read this for the r/books book club - January 2020.
Audio book review.
Advice, dont read if you have a sensitive stomach or are easily disturbed or grossed out. Seriously. Started with a sort of narrative winding together the different anecdotes, but after a while, the book lost its thread to connect one story to the next, and it ended up just being one weird case after another, trying to out-shock or out-gross the previous case. I started tuning out towards the end. Read if you have an interest in disgusting medical tales. It's got nothing else to offer, no morals or wisdom outside of sarcasm. It even ended very abruptly, no final wrap up of the ideas presented. Just not well-done overall.
Advice, dont read if you have a sensitive stomach or are easily disturbed or grossed out. Seriously. Started with a sort of narrative winding together the different anecdotes, but after a while, the book lost its thread to connect one story to the next, and it ended up just being one weird case after another, trying to out-shock or out-gross the previous case. I started tuning out towards the end. Read if you have an interest in disgusting medical tales. It's got nothing else to offer, no morals or wisdom outside of sarcasm. It even ended very abruptly, no final wrap up of the ideas presented. Just not well-done overall.
Lightheared fun, tales of the gruesome and odd medical mysteries that really, I am
here for.
here for.
A set of amusing stories for sure, though not a page turner you'd sit and read for hours together. Some of the stories were fascinating. (Although the exploding teeth one was a bit of a letdown. ) It's amazing what the human body can endure despite our (or our physician's) best attempts to mess them up.
Main takeaways:
1. In addition to bloodletting/leaches, 19th century physicians treated nearly every possible malady by trying to empty the patients bowels with enemas, emetics, and laxatives. (I am so grateful for modern medicine!)
2. People have been sticking inappropriate objects up their butts for many centuries.
Main takeaways:
1. In addition to bloodletting/leaches, 19th century physicians treated nearly every possible malady by trying to empty the patients bowels with enemas, emetics, and laxatives. (I am so grateful for modern medicine!)
2. People have been sticking inappropriate objects up their butts for many centuries.
challenging
dark
funny
informative
medium-paced
Delightful & horrifying all at the same time. Thomas Morris has a great sense of humor throughout. I do wish there had been one last chapter that was more of a conclusion.
This book was a riot. So many interesting and horrifying cases from the history of medicine with great context and commentary. Highly recommend.
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Medicine is an ever-evolving profession, and its history can be downright weird. Medical historian Thomas Morris has combed through countless vintage medical journals and historical documents showcasing the progress medicine has made in a relatively short time. His work goes beyond bizarre anecdotes, and instead softens the wonky view of health, breaking into sections ranging from Horrifying Operations to Mysterious Illnesses. Collected here are stories not just of fatal mistakes, but also triumphs and impossible medical breakthroughs.
Who knew pain and poor health could be so funny? The assembled trove of research on maladies and operations are entertaining on their own. The documents in the section discussing the death of the 11th Earl of Kent are morbidly hilarious in their deadpan delivery, but Morris’s asides heighten the material. This carries onto the rest of the book as well. He’s reserved in his delivery, letting source materials speak for themselves, but he knows just how to insert a joke to lighten the mood. It’s necessary when reading about forks stuck in orifices or the ever-present tobacco smoke enema. He doesn’t always hit the obvious jokes, but he hits the right ones.
This is not to suggest that Morris only provides comedic relief. While he does poke gentle fun at some of the more ludicrous ideas, he’s careful not to mock everything outright. He gives praise for some fairly ingenious ideas— and some successes, like a successful 18th century self-performed lithotripsy. However, it’s his explorations of the potential justifications for some ideas that sets this book apart. He has no problem digging deep into research in order to uncover why doctors and medical practitioners assumed outrageous (by today’s standards) remedies would work. Sure, placing a dove on the anus as a treatment seems absurd, but there was some bit of reasoning behind it.
Most books that present anecdote after anecdote begin losing steam around the halfway point. However, Morris has found a workaround here— and it’s not just because the stories shared are cringe-inducing or groan-worthy. Rather, he’s crafted a well-thought-out text that’s tightly packed and clips along nicely. It’s almost like he’s telling the stories directly to the reader, taunting, “You’ll never believe this next part.”
Perhaps most interestingly, Morris challenges readers to not be so sure of our methods today. If we consider the the typical processes of the previous century outlandish now, what will future professionals think of our performance today?
If nothing else, we should be thankful we live in a time of anesthesia and antibiotics.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Who knew pain and poor health could be so funny? The assembled trove of research on maladies and operations are entertaining on their own. The documents in the section discussing the death of the 11th Earl of Kent are morbidly hilarious in their deadpan delivery, but Morris’s asides heighten the material. This carries onto the rest of the book as well. He’s reserved in his delivery, letting source materials speak for themselves, but he knows just how to insert a joke to lighten the mood. It’s necessary when reading about forks stuck in orifices or the ever-present tobacco smoke enema. He doesn’t always hit the obvious jokes, but he hits the right ones.
This is not to suggest that Morris only provides comedic relief. While he does poke gentle fun at some of the more ludicrous ideas, he’s careful not to mock everything outright. He gives praise for some fairly ingenious ideas— and some successes, like a successful 18th century self-performed lithotripsy. However, it’s his explorations of the potential justifications for some ideas that sets this book apart. He has no problem digging deep into research in order to uncover why doctors and medical practitioners assumed outrageous (by today’s standards) remedies would work. Sure, placing a dove on the anus as a treatment seems absurd, but there was some bit of reasoning behind it.
Most books that present anecdote after anecdote begin losing steam around the halfway point. However, Morris has found a workaround here— and it’s not just because the stories shared are cringe-inducing or groan-worthy. Rather, he’s crafted a well-thought-out text that’s tightly packed and clips along nicely. It’s almost like he’s telling the stories directly to the reader, taunting, “You’ll never believe this next part.”
Perhaps most interestingly, Morris challenges readers to not be so sure of our methods today. If we consider the the typical processes of the previous century outlandish now, what will future professionals think of our performance today?
If nothing else, we should be thankful we live in a time of anesthesia and antibiotics.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
It's my spring of random medical trivia books. This one was fun and nicely organized with good, linear connecting bits. Doctors were (are?) cray-cray!