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Empire of the Scalpel : The History of Surgery by Ira Rutkow (2022, Hardcover)

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Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery by Rutkow M.D., Ira [Hardcover]

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherScribner

ISBN-101501163744

ISBN-139781501163746

eBay Product ID (ePID)10050389925

Product Key Features

Number of Pages416 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameEmpire of the Scalpel : the History of Surgery

Publication Year2022

SubjectUnited States / 20th Century, Surgery / General, History

TypeTextbook

AuthorIra Rutkow

Subject AreaMedical, History

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1 in

Item Weight19.9 Oz

Item Length9 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2021-048634

Reviews"By turns fascinating and ghastly. . . . [Readers] will learn that the history of modern surgery is the history of the rise of the modern world, with all that has involved--not just science and technology but also politics, architecture, demographics and institutions. . . .[ Empire of the Scalpel ] shows how the history of surgery is about so much more than just science and new surgical procedures. All human life is there." -- New York Times Book Review "Unexpected and fascinating perspectives not only on the operating table but also on war, science, society, and human behavior, as well as the biggest questions of all: how we die, how we kill, how we heal, and how we cure." -- T he American Scholar, "Rutkow, who has written multiple books about surgery, offers both useful historical context and deserved recognition to the key figures. . . . A fascinating, well-rendered story of how the once-impossible became a daily reality." -- Kirkus (starred review) "[A] smart survey from historian and surgeon Rutkow. . . . He's at his best when delving into the stories behind specific breakthroughs--as with his colorful description of the first surgery that used anesthesia, in 1846 Massachusetts. The result is a unique take on the history of medicine." -- Publishers Weekly

IllustratedYes

SynopsisFrom an eminent surgeon and historian comes the "by turns fascinating and ghastly" (The New York Times Book Review , Editors' Choice) story of surgery's development--from the Stone Age to the present day--blending meticulous medical research with vivid storytelling. There are not many life events that can be as simultaneously frightening and hopeful as a surgical operation. In America, tens-of-millions of major surgical procedures are performed annually, yet few of us consider the magnitude of these figures because we have such inherent confidence in surgeons. And, despite passionate debates about health care and the media's endless fascination with surgery, most of us have no idea how the first surgeons came to be because the story of surgery has never been fully told. Now, Empire of the Scalpel elegantly reveals surgery's fascinating evolution from its early roots in ancient Egypt to its refinement in Europe and rise to scientific dominance in the United States. From the 16th-century saga of Andreas Vesalius and his crusade to accurately describe human anatomy while appeasing the conservative clergy who clamored for his burning at the stake, to the hard-to-believe story of late-19th century surgeons' apathy to Joseph Lister's innovation of antisepsis and how this indifference led to thousands of unnecessary surgical deaths, Empire of the Scalpel is both a global history and a uniquely American tale. You'll discover how in the 20th century the US achieved surgical leadership, heralded by Harvard's Joseph Murray and his Nobel Prize-winning, seemingly impossible feat of transplanting a kidney, which ushered in a new era of transplants that continues to make procedures once thought insurmountable into achievable successes. Today, the list of possible operations is almost infinite--from knee and hip replacement to heart bypass and transplants to fat reduction and rhinoplasty--and "Rutkow has a raconteur's touch" ( San Francisco Chronicle ) as he draws on his five-decade career to show us how we got here. Comprehensive, authoritative, and captivating, Empire of the Scalpel is "a fascinating, well-rendered story of how the once-impossible became a daily reality" ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review)., From a renowned surgeon and historian with five decades of experience comes a remarkable history of surgery's development--spanning the Stone Age to the present day--blending meticulous medical studies with lively and skillful storytelling. There are not many events in life that can be as simultaneously life-frightening and life-saving as a surgical operation. Yet, in America, tens-of-millions of major surgical procedures are performed annually but few of us pause to consider the magnitude of these figures because we have such inherent confidence in surgeons. And, despite passionate debates about healthcare and the endless fascination with surgical procedures, most of us have no idea how surgeons came to be because the story of surgery has never been fully told. Now, Empire of the Scalpel elegantly reveals the fascinating history of surgery's evolution from its earliest roots in Europe through its rise to scientific and social dominance in the United States. From the 16th-century saga of Andreas Vesalius and his crusade to accurately describe human anatomy while appeasing the conservative clergy who clamored for his burning at the stake, to the hard-to-believe story of late-19th century surgeons' apathy to Joseph Lister's innovation of antisepsis and how this indifference led to thousands of unnecessary surgical deaths, Empire of the Scalpel is both a global history and a uniquely American tale. You'll discover how in the 20th century the US achieved surgical world supremacy heralded by the Nobel Prize-winning, seemingly impossible feat of transplanting a kidney and how the heart-lung machine was developed, along with much more. Today, the list of possible operations is almost infinite--from knee and hip replacement to heart bypass and transplants to fat reduction and rhinoplasty--and Rutkow draws on his five-decade career to show us how we got here. Authoritative, captivating, and comprehensive, Empire of the Scalpel portrays the evolution of surgery in all its dramatic and life-enhancing complexity and shows that its history is truly one awe-inspiring triumph after another.

LC Classification NumberRD19.L33 2022