Insights into Medicine and Surgery

Book excerpt: This book explores aspects of medical history that are usually overlooked by medical historians. It begins with anthropologic literature and accounts of the early explorers which describe sophisticated medical treatments and wound care by Native Americans that were superior to European practices at the time. The book also shows that the Samhita Sushruta, an ancient Indian medical text, and one of Socrates’ dialogues answer the age-old question of Hippocrates’ dictum against abortion and operating for bladder stones. It then dwells at length on the University of Edinburgh, the shining center of medical education from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, and provides biographical sketches to trace the history of American surgery from the early 19th century to the age of surgical staplers and minimally invasive operations. In addition, the book details the author’s experience with the greedy for-profit health care system and super specialization, providing the basis for suggestions to reform medical education and a not-for-profit, universal, non-governmental, regionalized system for the delivery of health care. Overall, the book will enhance the education of medical students and appeal to physicians with an interest in history.