An examination of the bloody and sometimes gruesome evolution of medicine from America's colonial era up until the late 1800s.
Riots over the medical use of cadavers, public access to institutions for the insane, and full-blown surgeries without the aid of anesthetics or painkillers. Welcome to the middle ages of American medicine.
Bleed, Blister, Puke, and Purge exposes the extraordinary practices and major players of American medical history, from America's colonial era to the late 1800s. It's hard to believe that today's cutting-edge medicine originated from such crude beginnings, but this book reminds us to be grateful for today's medical care, while also raising the question: what current medical practices will be the horrors of tomorrow?
"A compelling read that will be useful as a companion text for early U.S. history curricula and for students with an interest in the macabre.”
