The History of Medicine in Twelve Objects

by Cooper, Carol

• ISBN13: 9780711294639
• ISBN10: 0711294631
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2025-07-01
• Publisher: Aurum

Summary

Discover the fascinating history of medicine from its primitive beginnings to the lifesaving technologies of today.

Award-winning author Dr Carol Cooper takes you on a journey through the 12 objects that have come to define medicine through the ages – from the barbaric and bizarre to the inventive and impressive, this captivating read is peppered with fascinating anecdotes.

In this unique history, you will discover how ill health has been with us for as long as humans have existed, as has the drive to treat and understand it. Over the course of centuries, the ways in which doctors have engaged with sickness has changed drastically, and so too have the tools at their disposal.

And as these tools have morphed and evolved, our knowledge of health and disease has expanded. Medical theories have slowly advanced, allowing people to live longer and healthier lives.

The 12 groundbreaking tools explored in this collection include:

THE TREPHINE
THE BONE SAW
THE MASK
THE MICROSCOPE
THE STETHOSCOPE
THE ETHER INHALER
THE HYPODERMIC SYRINGE
THE OBSTETRIC FORCEPS
THE X -RAY MACHINE
THE ECT MACHINE
THE HIP PROSTHESIS
THE HEART-LUNG MACHINE

The history of these medical tools is truly astounding, revealing the true extent of human ingenuity, curiosity, and compassion. This is a book for anyone interested in medical history or looking for a fresh and dynamic take on their specialist subject. With her immense knowledge and engaging writing style, Dr Cooper delivers a history that is not for the faint of heart.

Author Biography

CAROL COOPER is a doctor, journalist, and author. She has taught students at Imperial College Medical School for almost twenty years, for which she received the Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award in 2022. She was elected President of the Guild of Health Writers in 2014, and delivered the prestigious Tom Olsen Lecture in 2022 ‘Has Covid Fractured the Way We Live?’. She is a Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge, her alma mater. 

Carol has authored and edited a string of non-fiction books. These include numerous guides on child health and parenting, as well as an award-winning book on general practice. More recently, she has turned to writing novels with a medical strand.

Table of Contents

Contents
 

1. Mask
2. Microscope
3. Stethoscope
4. X-ray
5. Hypodermic needle
6. Forceps
7. Bone saw
8. Anaesthetic
9. Trephine
10. ECT machine
11. Hip prosthesis
12. Heart lung machine