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The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine

Name: The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
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4.7 of 5 Stars: Administration & Medicine Economics - The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine

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Book Synopsis: Winner, 2018 PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing Short-listed for the 2018 Wellcome Book Prize A Top 10 Science Book of Fall 2017, Publishers Weekly A Best History Book of 2017, The Guardian "Warning: She spares no detail!" —Erik Larson, bestselling author of Dead Wake
In The Butchering Art, the historian Lindsey Fitzharris reveals the shocking world of nineteenth-century surgery and shows how it was transformed by advances made in germ theory and antiseptics between 1860 and 1875. She conjures up early operating theaters—no place for the squeamish—and surgeons, who, working before anesthesia, were lauded for their speed and brute strength. These pioneers knew that the aftermath of surgery was often more dangerous than patients’ afflictions, and they were baffled by the persistent infections that kept mortality rates stubbornly high. At a time when surgery couldn’t have been more hazardous, an unlikely figure stepped forward: a young, melancholy Quaker surgeon named Joseph Lister, who would solve the riddle and change the course of history.
Fitzharris dramatically reconstructs Lister’s career path to his audacious claim that germs were the source of all infection and could be countered by a sterilizing agent applied to wounds. She introduces us to Lister’s contemporaries—some of them brilliant, some outright criminal—and leads us through the grimy schools and squalid hospitals where they learned their art, the dead houses where they studied, and the cemeteries they ransacked for cadavers.
Eerie and illuminating, The Butchering Art celebrates the triumph of a visionary surgeon whose quest to unite science and medicine delivered us into the modern world.

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Step back in time with The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine. Uncover the gripping world of nineteenth-century surgery as Lindsey Fitzharris masterfully reveals the pivotal transformation brought forth by advances in germ theory and antiseptics. This book, a winner of the prestigious 2018 PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing, is a must-read for history buffs and science enthusiasts alike.

Prepare to be captivated by Fitzharris's vivid depiction of early operating theaters and the courageous surgeons who, devoid of anesthesia, relied on sheer speed and strength. The Butchering Art sheds light on the challenges faced by these pioneers, who grappled with the perplexing issue of post-surgical infections. Enter the world of Joseph Lister, a young Quaker surgeon whose groundbreaking discoveries forever altered the course of medical history.

Experience the riveting narrative as Fitzharris delves into Lister's revolutionary belief that germs were the root cause of infections, leading to his groundbreaking use of sterilization to combat this menace. Meet Lister's contemporaries, ranging from brilliant minds to dubious characters, and traverse the grim landscapes of schools, hospitals, and cemeteries where these medical mavericks honed their craft. The Butchering Art is an eerie yet enlightening tribute to a visionary hero who bridged the realms of science and medicine, shaping our modern world.

Ready to embark on a historical journey through the realm of medicine and science? Dive into The Butchering Art today and witness the remarkable saga of Joseph Lister's transformative impact on the grim world of Victorian surgery. Embrace the past to understand the present and be inspired for the future!

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