What do you think?
Rate this book
Medicine: The Definitive Illustrated History
Medicine tells the fascinating story of the discipline, from ancient times to the present day, charting developments in healing, diagnosis, surgery, and drugs in a vividly visual and accessible format.
Follow the gory pitfalls and the miraculous breakthroughs of medical history from trepanning, bloodletting, and body snatching to the latest developments in IVF and gene therapy. Clear diagrams explain major diseases, such as cancer, and enhance understanding of human anatomy, surgical instruments, and the progression of treatment over the centuries, setting the great milestones of medical history in their wider social context. A complementary illustrated reference section profiles all the main body systems and organs and explains their relevance in terms of the advancement of medicine.
A compelling blend of riveting stories, accessible information, and striking illustrations, Medicine shows and tells how medicine has evolved into the lifesaving discipline it is today.
Follow the gory pitfalls and the miraculous breakthroughs of medical history from trepanning, bloodletting, and body snatching to the latest developments in IVF and gene therapy. Clear diagrams explain major diseases, such as cancer, and enhance understanding of human anatomy, surgical instruments, and the progression of treatment over the centuries, setting the great milestones of medical history in their wider social context. A complementary illustrated reference section profiles all the main body systems and organs and explains their relevance in terms of the advancement of medicine.
A compelling blend of riveting stories, accessible information, and striking illustrations, Medicine shows and tells how medicine has evolved into the lifesaving discipline it is today.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2016
112 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,120 books2,079 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 25, 2022
Получих книгата като неочакван подарък, за което съм благодарен.
Смятах, че съм добре запознат с историята на медицината. И въпреки че знаех по-голяма част от историите в енциклопедията, от нея научих следните факти:
-Анализ от 2013 г. определя броя клетки в човешкото тяло на около 37 трилиона.
-Изучавайки винената киселина, Луи Пастьор първи открива, че молекулите може да съществуват в две версии - огледални образи една на друга, съответно лява и дясна. Свойството е наречено хиралност (от гръцката дума за ръка) и с установяването му се поставят основите на стереохимията.
-Първата лапароскопска операция е проведена през 1901 г. върху куче от германския хирург Георг Келинг. Заедно със съпругата си той умира през февруари 1945 г. при съюзническите бомбардировки на Дрезден.
-Първите антибиотици от групата на цефалоспорините са получени от гъбичката Cephalosporium acremonium, растяща в морската вода, близо до отходни тръби на остров Сардиния. Италианският фармаколог Джузепе Броцу открива гъбичката през 1945 г. в резултат на изследването си защо на острова има много по-малко случаи на тиф от очакваното. Впоследствие той установява, че продуктите на гъбичката унищожават бактерията Salmonella typhi.
-Първата роботизирана трансатлантическа операция е проведена през 2001 г. При нея американски хирург контролира дистанционно робот и отстранява жлъчния мехур на пациент във Франция. Операцията е кръстена Линдберг в чест на първия пилот на самолет, прекосил Атлантическия океан през 1927 г.
Единственият минус на книгата е прекалено лежерното и безкритично отношение към псевдонаучни идеи и теории, като аюрведа, традиционна китайска медицина, хомеопатия, френоогия, миазмена терория, месмеризъм, фройдистка психоанализа и др.
Четете повече за историята на медицината и няма да сбъркате.
Смятах, че съм добре запознат с историята на медицината. И въпреки че знаех по-голяма част от историите в енциклопедията, от нея научих следните факти:
-Анализ от 2013 г. определя броя клетки в човешкото тяло на около 37 трилиона.
-Изучавайки винената киселина, Луи Пастьор първи открива, че молекулите може да съществуват в две версии - огледални образи една на друга, съответно лява и дясна. Свойството е наречено хиралност (от гръцката дума за ръка) и с установяването му се поставят основите на стереохимията.
-Първата лапароскопска операция е проведена през 1901 г. върху куче от германския хирург Георг Келинг. Заедно със съпругата си той умира през февруари 1945 г. при съюзническите бомбардировки на Дрезден.
-Първите антибиотици от групата на цефалоспорините са получени от гъбичката Cephalosporium acremonium, растяща в морската вода, близо до отходни тръби на остров Сардиния. Италианският фармаколог Джузепе Броцу открива гъбичката през 1945 г. в резултат на изследването си защо на острова има много по-малко случаи на тиф от очакваното. Впоследствие той установява, че продуктите на гъбичката унищожават бактерията Salmonella typhi.
-Първата роботизирана трансатлантическа операция е проведена през 2001 г. При нея американски хирург контролира дистанционно робот и отстранява жлъчния мехур на пациент във Франция. Операцията е кръстена Линдберг в чест на първия пилот на самолет, прекосил Атлантическия океан през 1927 г.
Единственият минус на книгата е прекалено лежерното и безкритично отношение към псевдонаучни идеи и теории, като аюрведа, традиционна китайска медицина, хомеопатия, френоогия, миазмена терория, месмеризъм, фройдистка психоанализа и др.
Четете повече за историята на медицината и няма да сбъркате.
August 14, 2017
I checked this book out on a whim from the local library, and I am so glad I did! Did you love "Eyewitness" books when you were a child? Well consider this to be an eyewitness book but for adults! I have always found the history of medicine to be fascinating, and checked this book out mostly for the super early (prehistoric) time period. It has an excellent array of information and techniques from cultures all over the world: elegant text and glossy photos complete the trifecta. If you're at all interested in the history of medicine, this is definitely something that you should pick up!
November 8, 2019
This is an interesting and well-designed coffee table book, which nevertheless contains a lot of text – definitely not one I read through in a single sitting. It covers a lot of material and some of the illustrations are actually really cool, including pictures of historical medical instruments and microscopes. It’s definitely western-centric although I think the publishers would deny it: there are spreads on Asian and Middle Eastern medicine but they are not the focus, and scientists and doctors from these cultures tend to be mentioned as a collective, rather than being individually profiled like the white Europeans (I’m not sure a single person of color is profiled in the book. Maybe Ibn Sina). The organization is also a bit rough: officially the book is organized chronologically, but really it’s organized topically – so diabetes comes up at the point in history when a treatment was developed, and then there’s some information at the beginning of the spread on historical discoveries about diabetes. That said, it’s a coffee table book, and I think it’s pretty good for what these big illustrated books are intended to do.
November 14, 2022
The number of facts in this book 😳
but I LOVE it. I learned so much more about medical history and advances. It is amazing how scientists observe things around them and their persistence in finding the truth. The photos also help to illustrate and are informative. The only downside is (too many words and so small). I feel dizzy after I read this book for an hour.
but I LOVE it. I learned so much more about medical history and advances. It is amazing how scientists observe things around them and their persistence in finding the truth. The photos also help to illustrate and are informative. The only downside is (too many words and so small). I feel dizzy after I read this book for an hour.
October 13, 2018
An enjoyable way to spend a rainy day! I enjoyed this book immensely!
May 2, 2024
Das Gebiet der Medizin hat mich schon immer fasziniert. Als ich dieses Buch von DK sah, war ich mir sicher, dass es eine denkwürdige Lektüre sein würde, und ich hatte Recht. Das Buch enthält 5000 Jahre Medizin, mit vielen visuellen Darstellungen, die einmal mehr beweisen, dass die Kunst des Heilens alles übertrifft. Die Menschheit hat sich von Anfang an mit der Heilung und der Verlängerung des Lebens beschäftigt, und es ist erstaunlich, wie weit wir es gebracht haben. Ich habe dieses Buch geradezu verschlungen, es ist unglaublich faszinierend und lässt dich mit der festen Überzeugung zurück, dass die Menschheit immer versuchen wird, das große Rätsel zu lösen, nämlich den Verlust von Leben.
Meine Meinung:
Ich kann mir nicht einmal ansatzweise vorstellen, wie viel Recherche für dieses wunderbare Buch nötig war, und ich bin allen dankbar, die dazu beigetragen haben. Das Ergebnis ist einfach erstaunlich, ein Buch, das beweist, dass wir uns schon immer mit der Kunst des Heilens beschäftigt haben. Sicherlich wurden auf dem Weg dorthin viele Fehler gemacht, aber ich glaube, dass jeder Fehltritt zu einer neuen Entdeckung führte, vielleicht zu einer wirksameren Behandlung oder einem wirksameren Verfahren. Wir müssen lernen, denjenigen dankbar zu sein, die der modernen Medizin den Weg geebnet haben, denn wir haben einen weiten Weg zurückgelegt, wie dieses Buch eindeutig beweist.
Das Buch beginnt mit der Frühzeit der Heilung, mit Details zu den Kräutern, die für verschiedene Krankheiten verwendet wurden, den ersten chirurgischen Eingriffen und wie entwickelt die Medizin im alten Ägypten war. Ich war sehr überrascht, als ich entdeckte, dass die Mumien keine Spuren von Krebs aufwiesen - das spricht Bände über das Leben, das wir heute führen. Ich habe über die frühe chinesische Medizin und Ayurveda gelesen und kann gut verstehen, warum die Prinzipien von damals auch heute noch gültig sind. Und ich war sehr beeindruckt, wie fortschrittlich die Römer in Sachen Medizin und vor allem in Bezug auf chirurgische Eingriffe waren.
Das Buch bietet einen faszinierenden Einblick in die Entwicklung der Medizin im Laufe der Jahrhunderte und ich finde es toll, wie viele Fotos und Illustrationen vorhanden sind. In der Tat eine visuelle Geschichte. Es war faszinierend, über die erste Medizinschule, die schwarze Pest und das Corona-Virus (ebenso gruselig) und über den ersten Eingriff am Grauen Star zu lesen. Die erste Impfung, das moderne Krankenhaus, die Entwicklung der Diagnosemethoden und -instrumente - sie alle sind in diesem faszinierenden Buch enthalten. Es gibt noch so viele weitere interessante Elemente zu entdecken, dass ich dir dringend empfehle, dir für jeden Abschnitt Zeit zu nehmen.
Zusammenfassung:
Das war eines der faszinierendsten Bücher, die ich je gelesen habe. Es hat mir sehr gut gefallen und ich bin wirklich beeindruckt, wie weit die Medizin fortgeschritten ist. Ich bin allen dankbar, die zu diesem schönen Buch beigetragen haben. Ich denke, dass wir manchmal an die Menschen erinnert werden müssen, die hart dafür gearbeitet haben, dass wir in den Genuss des Wunders der modernen Medizin kommen. Und ich bin davon überzeugt, dass sich die Medizin nur weiter entwickeln wird. Wer weiß, was die Zukunft bringen wird? Eines ist jedoch sicher. Wir leben besser und länger, und die Medizin hat definitiv zu einer höheren Lebensqualität beigetragen. Insgesamt ein tolles Buch, das ich sehr empfehlen kann.
Meine Meinung:
Ich kann mir nicht einmal ansatzweise vorstellen, wie viel Recherche für dieses wunderbare Buch nötig war, und ich bin allen dankbar, die dazu beigetragen haben. Das Ergebnis ist einfach erstaunlich, ein Buch, das beweist, dass wir uns schon immer mit der Kunst des Heilens beschäftigt haben. Sicherlich wurden auf dem Weg dorthin viele Fehler gemacht, aber ich glaube, dass jeder Fehltritt zu einer neuen Entdeckung führte, vielleicht zu einer wirksameren Behandlung oder einem wirksameren Verfahren. Wir müssen lernen, denjenigen dankbar zu sein, die der modernen Medizin den Weg geebnet haben, denn wir haben einen weiten Weg zurückgelegt, wie dieses Buch eindeutig beweist.
Das Buch beginnt mit der Frühzeit der Heilung, mit Details zu den Kräutern, die für verschiedene Krankheiten verwendet wurden, den ersten chirurgischen Eingriffen und wie entwickelt die Medizin im alten Ägypten war. Ich war sehr überrascht, als ich entdeckte, dass die Mumien keine Spuren von Krebs aufwiesen - das spricht Bände über das Leben, das wir heute führen. Ich habe über die frühe chinesische Medizin und Ayurveda gelesen und kann gut verstehen, warum die Prinzipien von damals auch heute noch gültig sind. Und ich war sehr beeindruckt, wie fortschrittlich die Römer in Sachen Medizin und vor allem in Bezug auf chirurgische Eingriffe waren.
Das Buch bietet einen faszinierenden Einblick in die Entwicklung der Medizin im Laufe der Jahrhunderte und ich finde es toll, wie viele Fotos und Illustrationen vorhanden sind. In der Tat eine visuelle Geschichte. Es war faszinierend, über die erste Medizinschule, die schwarze Pest und das Corona-Virus (ebenso gruselig) und über den ersten Eingriff am Grauen Star zu lesen. Die erste Impfung, das moderne Krankenhaus, die Entwicklung der Diagnosemethoden und -instrumente - sie alle sind in diesem faszinierenden Buch enthalten. Es gibt noch so viele weitere interessante Elemente zu entdecken, dass ich dir dringend empfehle, dir für jeden Abschnitt Zeit zu nehmen.
Zusammenfassung:
Das war eines der faszinierendsten Bücher, die ich je gelesen habe. Es hat mir sehr gut gefallen und ich bin wirklich beeindruckt, wie weit die Medizin fortgeschritten ist. Ich bin allen dankbar, die zu diesem schönen Buch beigetragen haben. Ich denke, dass wir manchmal an die Menschen erinnert werden müssen, die hart dafür gearbeitet haben, dass wir in den Genuss des Wunders der modernen Medizin kommen. Und ich bin davon überzeugt, dass sich die Medizin nur weiter entwickeln wird. Wer weiß, was die Zukunft bringen wird? Eines ist jedoch sicher. Wir leben besser und länger, und die Medizin hat definitiv zu einer höheren Lebensqualität beigetragen. Insgesamt ein tolles Buch, das ich sehr empfehlen kann.
November 3, 2024
Such a fun book for anyone interested in medical history...which I always am. Took me a while to get through this book, I was busy when I first got it but I got back into it later, and started reading and looking at the pictures every night. I think especially for kids who are interested in medicine getting the physical book is a great idea for them to pore over. I got this in Kindle edition just because I don't have room for a lot of big books. But defiinitely would want this in a library for encouraging students interested in the fields. There's almost nothing gross in this book, so it is a great intro without bringing up blood and brain surgery, thought there is a lot of information on the tools used in medicine. I enjoyed the sections on infectious diseases but...of course, we've had the pandemic since this book came out and it needs updating.
As someone who studied and researched in Neuroscience and Education, I cannot praise this type of book highly enough for combining word and pictures to keep attention. That's what DK books are good for. Too many times students of all ages cannot absorb enough information via text alone. Visuals significantly help with learning and should be strongly encouraged.
As someone who studied and researched in Neuroscience and Education, I cannot praise this type of book highly enough for combining word and pictures to keep attention. That's what DK books are good for. Too many times students of all ages cannot absorb enough information via text alone. Visuals significantly help with learning and should be strongly encouraged.
January 24, 2025
This is a review of the 2024 American edition.
I read this book as part of a course I am taking on medical ethics so that I could understand the historical context of some of the discussions. Also I am a practicing pediatric intensive care specialist.
This is an amazing work with in the tradition of DK publishing with amazing illustrations. It not only discussed the traditional Western medical thinkers from Hippocrates to Galen to William Harvey but gives ample discussion and space to especially Chinese and Arab healers and even Native American knowledge. Many of their writings quoted seem quite contemporary. It is quite up to date with the last section on the possible origins of COVID-19.
Recommended highly for anyone who wishes to understand the antecedents of modern medicine in a beautifully illustrated approach.
I read this book as part of a course I am taking on medical ethics so that I could understand the historical context of some of the discussions. Also I am a practicing pediatric intensive care specialist.
This is an amazing work with in the tradition of DK publishing with amazing illustrations. It not only discussed the traditional Western medical thinkers from Hippocrates to Galen to William Harvey but gives ample discussion and space to especially Chinese and Arab healers and even Native American knowledge. Many of their writings quoted seem quite contemporary. It is quite up to date with the last section on the possible origins of COVID-19.
Recommended highly for anyone who wishes to understand the antecedents of modern medicine in a beautifully illustrated approach.
July 5, 2018
This book has excellent illustrations and quite a breadth and depth about medicine which I studied as an undergraduate. It is quite accurate and gives scientific insight into the medical condition including breakthroughs I studied like penicillin. I recommend it. I wish I had read it more thoroughly.
January 15, 2023
“First rule of nursing, to keep the air within as pure as the air without.”
“It is not easy to be a pioneer- but oh, it is fascinating.”
“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die."
“It is not easy to be a pioneer- but oh, it is fascinating.”
“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die."
May 13, 2018
It has been so long since I've read an encyclopedia and i missed the feeling & thrill of learning new things. This book is definitely a must read if you're at all interested in medicine and would like to know how we ended up with this current medicine nowadays. Ahhhh, i love science and history <33
December 18, 2018
I recieved this as an early Christmas gift and I have a feeling it will be one of my favorites this year. Wonderfully illustrated and informative. As a medical history major it's the perfect coffee table book to give a glimpse into one of my favorite passions. highly recommended!
Read
April 29, 2021Interesting, informative, great illustrations.
June 25, 2023
Very informative, yet easy to read and understand! I love learning about and being able to understand why things are the way they are in both the human body and medicine!
December 22, 2016
My favorite aspect is that they discussed Hildegard von Bingen's contributions- and how she used both art and science.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews