Medicine: A Graphic History

Description

In the Middle Ages, surgery was performed by barbers, owing to their skill with sharp instruments. In the mid-19th century, a "grand exhibition" of the effects of laughing gas inadvertently led to the discovery of anaesthesia. Three decades later, Louis Pasteur enjoyed a crucial breakthrough in his search for vaccinations because his assistant decided, against his orders, to take a vacation. In Medicine: A Graphic History, surgeon and professor of medical history Jean-Noel Fabiani stitches together the most significant and intriguing episodes from the history of medicine, from chance breakthroughs to hard-fought scientific discoveries. Spanning centuries and crossing continents, this fast-paced and yet rigorously detailed graphic novel guides us through one of the most wondrous strands of human history, covering everything from blood-letting to organ donation, x-rays to prosthetics.

Professor Jean-Noel Fabiani is a doctor at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, where he heads the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery. He is also a professor at the University Paris-Descartes, where he spent a decade teaching the history of medicine. Philippe Bercovici is a comic book artist from Nice, France. Over forty years, he has published numerous comics and graphic novels.

"Truly, this book, witty and wise, is nothing less than a tonic. As we await a vaccine for Covid-19, its every page serves to remind us that where there is curiosity, determination and learning, there is always, always hope."--The Guardian