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jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
5.0
It's really a shame that most Americans who are familiar with Dr. Mutter are familiar with him because of his namesake museum in Philadelphia. The museum contains Dr. Mutter's collection of medical specimens and was funded by Mutter himself. Before reading this book, my image of Dr. Mutter was of a mid-18th century doctor with a penchant for unusual and at times disturbing medical specimens (think eyeballs with tumors and colons weighing 30+ pounds. I couldn't have been more wrong about this incredible man.
Dr. Mutter was decades ahead of his time. To list all of his accomplishments here would detract from the joy of discovering them yourself as you read the book, but this man was truly a genius. And not just a genius; but a kind-hearted man who truly cared about his patients and how they healed following their procedures.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he is buried within walking distance of my house. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather so I can take a walk and pay my respects to this truly remarkable man.
Dr. Mutter was decades ahead of his time. To list all of his accomplishments here would detract from the joy of discovering them yourself as you read the book, but this man was truly a genius. And not just a genius; but a kind-hearted man who truly cared about his patients and how they healed following their procedures.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he is buried within walking distance of my house. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather so I can take a walk and pay my respects to this truly remarkable man.
pharp's review against another edition
3.0
It was interesting learning more about Dr. Mutter. I would have enjoyed learning more about how he acquired his collections and details on the surgical techniques he developed. There were far too few passages about surgery and a few too many about the various personality disputes between Mutter and his contemporaries.
meldaven's review against another edition
5.0
I can't even begin to explain how good this was. I knew a little about Dr. Mutter because of a podcast I listen to (Sawbones), but I really, REALLY liked this.
conjurerachel's review against another edition
3.0
Be careful of what you eat when reading this for homework.
innae's review against another edition
4.0
This book starts as just a biography of R Mutter, but becomes so much more. Ever wonder how surgery was done before anesthesia?? Or when women finally got the right to be doctors, and which group started that?? (It was the Quakers..go figure). Lots of interesting stuff to be had in this book.
asukagoto's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up to 4. Like Erik Larsen’s "The Devil in the White City", this non-fiction, historical account of the life and career of pioneering plastic surgeon Thomas Mütter, was a page-turner. The book offered a window into the fascinatingly barbaric world of surgical medicine in the early/mid nineteenth century. When Mütter began practicing medicine, the field of plastic surgery was in its infancy and still considered radical by many in the medical community. Mütter, however, saw the potential of plastic surgery to change the lives of both those born with physical abnormalities and those who were severely scarred by accidents (involving fire etc.) that were relatively commonplace at the time. Mütter also championed the use of ether anesthesia, which was initially disparaged by many doctors when it first emerged in the mid 1840s.
My only criticism of the book was the degree to which it venerated Mütter (it bordered on a hagiography) and made a villain of Dr Meigs, a obstetrician and colleague of Mütter’s at the Jefferson College of Medicine. I have no doubt that the basic medical philosophies of both men were fairly represented, as the book seemed well-researched, but I wish that each of these characters had been more deeply drawn.
My only criticism of the book was the degree to which it venerated Mütter (it bordered on a hagiography) and made a villain of Dr Meigs, a obstetrician and colleague of Mütter’s at the Jefferson College of Medicine. I have no doubt that the basic medical philosophies of both men were fairly represented, as the book seemed well-researched, but I wish that each of these characters had been more deeply drawn.
roadki77's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.75
Biography about Dr. Thomas Mütter with illustrations and photos, and some side-biographies about his peers/coworkers/students.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism