The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England

by Alanna Skuse

Discover the remarkable birth of modern medicine... and how not to die in the Renaissance
'An entertaining history of medicine… Skuse brings a deep familiarity with the contemporary sources and a dry wit.' Dan Jones, The Sunday Times

The cliched view medicine in the Renaissance world is gore-splattered hacksaws, arsenic concoctions, the four humours and all those leeches…

Reality, however, proves somewhat different.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a medical revolution was afoot. Physicians’ education was being formalised. Surgeons were documenting the intricacies of the human body with ever-greater skill. And, as European powers expanded into the New World, novel medicines and treatments were being discovered.

Alanna Skuse ventures into the bustling medical marketplace of Renaissance England – a world of travelling surgeons, prosthetics craftsmen, faith healers and snake oil merchants.
Discover domestic healers like Elizabeth Freke, a doyenne of folk remedies, always ready to dole out tonics and elixirs to her ailing neighbours. Browse the shelves of the early modern apothecary with Nicholas Culpeper as he lays the groundwork for the modern pharmacy. Meet the expert midwife Jane Sharp, successful author and pioneer of women's health. Join the intrepid plague doctor George Thomson as he braves London's Great Plague.

Humane and entrancing, The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack reveals the people and stories behind a scientific revolution.

'Fascinating.' Daily Mail

'Meticulously researched and deliciously detailed.' Victoria Shepherd, author of A History of Delusions

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Science, Audiobook, Medicine, Medical

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2025

Reviews

[Laura✨]

This was an interesting read — a lively, fact‑packed dive into a variety of medical practices and professions in Stuart England. Skuse’s writing is incredibly engaging and surprisingly funny in places, making the history feel vivid rather than academic. It’s accessible to any reader curious about everyday life in the period, and never once drags or feels dry.

If you’re after a more scholarly deep‑dive, Skuse has other academic texts, but this one is perfect for anyone who wants to learn about life in the past and wants an entertaining narrative while doing so.

[Karen]

Highly accessible, often entertaining, with companionable narration by Danielle Cohen. With an abiding interest in the topic, there was little new here for me, but i enjoyed it anyway.

What was new will certainly stick with me—like the 14th-century practice of slicing open tiny animals and applying them to the body to “draw out” cancer by luring it to fresh meat. Not every practice is so shocking, but there are, of course, several. I appreciated that the author situates this lay-level history of medicine in the context of time, place, and circumstances.

Imagine... the things we think we know that will prove primitive or barbaric in the future.

[Jenna Parsons]

Too much history not my cup of tea. A lot of very detailed info about old famous people / aristocrats and I feel like the surgeons and the midwives did not shine through

[Callum Hume]

How we survived as a species is absolutely baffling. The development of knowledge and understanding of the human body has come so far, yet there is still so much more to learn.

In The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack, Alanna Skuse takes readers on a journey through 15th- and 16th-century England, exploring how medical practice has evolved over the centuries. From surgeons performing operations without anaesthesia to the rise of "madhouses" as places where people were often sent to languish and die, the realities of Renaissance medicine are as grotesque as they are fascinating.

I’ve always been a fan of the Renaissance period, so gaining insight into how my own profession, midwifery, has adapted to society's changing needs was particularly interesting. While the core purpose of the profession remains much the same, survival rates have dramatically increased and outcomes have vastly improved. No wonder midwives were once called witches; we're probably just as eccentric and gossip filled now!

I generally struggle to stay focused on non-fiction books, but Skuse kept me eager to turn the page with every chapter. Informative, accessible, and often shocking, this was both an enjoyable and educational read.

[Sophia]

The Surgeon, the Midwife, the Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England is an interesting look at how medicine was practiced in England during the early modern period ("Renaissance"). Professor Alanna Skuse teaches literature but focuses on history of medicine and science during this period. It's a fascinating look at various types of practitioners (e.g., physicians, surgeons, midwifes, apothecaries, etc.) facing market forces. Class and money often determined what kind of practitioner one became and also what kind of care was sought. War brought many injuries; the wounded provided opportunities to practice and innovate new techniques. I learned many new things, like the "Italian nose graft" with a flap from the arm and attempts at xenotransfusion (injecting blood from animals into humans). This was not too academic; I wished I paid more attention while listening to this audiobook.

[honor]

Really fun and very thorough account of the nuances of early modern medicine! I especially appreciated how frequently the actual texts themselves were quoted with clarifying notes on specific archaic vocabulary. I think I probably would’ve preferred to read this in book format; I’m not usually an audiobook person, but this was a lot of fun to listen to on commutes. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a comprehensive, but still focused and detailed account of this topic.

[Eleanor Carson]

This book is of interest to people who enjoy history and medicine. Much of this book was shocking because of the primitive nature of medicine in the 1600s, and it is no wonder the death rate was high. While it was fascinating to me, it was largely written in an academic style and not really meant to be entertaining. I enjoyed reading about some people who really existed and what they had to work with to try to cure sick people and those suffering from acute traumas and the wounds of war.

[Cat Reinecker]

WOW! The title caught my attention walking through the bookstore - but the stories enraptured! It was both a history of medicine and a glimpse into humanity in the Renaissance. At times gory, at other times human and heartfelt - great glimpse into what it means to be a doctor, and how far we have come medically.

[Susana Gomes]

Really enjoyed this audiobook. The specific stories of individuals brought the general history to life. I cringed during the description of cataract surgery as the surgery is not that different now. The section on midwifery was of particular interest to me. I found this book through the Wicked Women podcast. I'd recommend both.

[Missy MacDonald]

History of medicine (and what passed for medicine) in 16th & 17th century England. The prestige rankings, competition, and overlap among specialties was interesting - I wouldn't have thought a surgeon would rank lower than a general physician, but they did. Skuse definitely convinced me that life is better and healthier in the 21st century.

[Kate Harris]

This wonderful book provides a fascinating and comprehensive overview of medicine in England in the (long) 17th century. We are introduced to a colourful cast of characters from all aspects of the profession along with their patients. The author raises important questions about gender, class, wealth, war, and ethics. Highly recommend.

[Mary]

3.5 stars 🌟

This was a fascinating look at early medicine, some of it as horrific as you would imagine. But also a fairly constant compulsion to improve and refine techniques and make new advancements.

[Roisin]

A very surface level introduction to the 16-18c medical marketplace. Some chapters had great potential to be interesting (e.g mental illness), but lacked engaging content.

[dean VetUk]

I enjoyed this book. the level of research and detail is high. at some points my partner and I laughed out loud and will honour the book by getting a plaque made for our "Room of Easement".

[Jessica - How Jessica Reads]

Will come back later when I’m in a headspace to handle a medical book.

[Bethany]

4.5*

[Catherine Jesson]

Can’t believe everyone, in all of Britain managed to be a villain

[Chrissy Rombach]

Very fascinating book full of lots of information that probably won’t affect my life at all