The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction

Written by William Bynum

Narrated by Jonathan Cowley

Against the backdrop of unprecedented concern for the future of health care, this Very Short Introduction surveys the history of medicine from classical times to the present. Taking a thematic rather than strictly chronological approach, W. F. Bynum, explores the key turning points in the history of Western medicine-such as the first surgical procedures, the advent of hospitals, the introduction of anesthesia, X-Rays, vaccinations, and many other innovations, as well as the rise of experimental medicine. The book also explores Western medicine's encounters with Chinese and Indian medicine, as well as nontraditional treatments such as homeopathy, chiropractic, and other alternative medicines. Covering a vast amount of information, this Very Short Introduction sheds new light on medicine's past, while at the same time engaging with contemporary issues, discoveries, and controversies, such as the spiraling costs of health care, lack of health insurance for millions, breakthrough treatments, and much more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705295427

Reviews for The History of Medicine

[dennis morgan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good for the lay public. Too short for even an overview for more serious readers. Too many omissions-no Nightingale, chemotherapy nor blood typing, to name a few. And there is little of medical theory such as homeopathy vs allopathy.
Worth the time even so.
And you can calibrate your metronome to the steady (monotonous) cadence of the narrator.