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A review by emilyrandolph_epstein
Dr. Mütter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
4.0
Dr. Mutter's Marvels is an excellent biography for someone looking to read a medical history that's engaging, intriguing, and well-written without being bogged down by the dryness that typically marks some scholarly works. I found this book an informative introduction to an area of history about which I previously knew next to nothing.
However I frequently felt that the writer was too enamored of her subject. The book focuses solely on Mutter's successes and barely makes mention of his failures. The writer contrives to make a villain out of Dr. Meigs, one of Mutter's colleagues, without taking into account the religious climate of the time. Meigs was hardly a villain, simply a stubborn man who could not change his philosophy to fit a changing understanding of the world. She also - as far as I can recall - does not present any solid evidence that Meigs and Mutter ever actually publicly feuded. She presents plenty of evidence that they held opposing views, but makes heavy use of speculation to flesh out a subject she admits she had difficulty finding sources for.
Despite the book's biased narration, I found the prose to be well-written and vivid. The characterization of the City of Philadelphia as it was in the mid-nineteenth century was beautifully detailed as was the characterization of the medical community. I would have liked more facts and less speculation, but I none-the-less enjoyed this book immensely and was eager to finish my work each day so I could curl up with my dog and learn more about the remarkable Dr. Mutter, who was far ahead of his time.
However I frequently felt that the writer was too enamored of her subject. The book focuses solely on Mutter's successes and barely makes mention of his failures. The writer contrives to make a villain out of Dr. Meigs, one of Mutter's colleagues, without taking into account the religious climate of the time. Meigs was hardly a villain, simply a stubborn man who could not change his philosophy to fit a changing understanding of the world. She also - as far as I can recall - does not present any solid evidence that Meigs and Mutter ever actually publicly feuded. She presents plenty of evidence that they held opposing views, but makes heavy use of speculation to flesh out a subject she admits she had difficulty finding sources for.
Despite the book's biased narration, I found the prose to be well-written and vivid. The characterization of the City of Philadelphia as it was in the mid-nineteenth century was beautifully detailed as was the characterization of the medical community. I would have liked more facts and less speculation, but I none-the-less enjoyed this book immensely and was eager to finish my work each day so I could curl up with my dog and learn more about the remarkable Dr. Mutter, who was far ahead of his time.