A History of Medicine

By Lois N. Magner

Book Overview

A non-technical, jargon-free presentation of the history of medicine from palaeopathology to recent theories and practices of modern medicine. It gives a wide-ranging overview of Western medicine and an introduction to the rich and varied medical traditions of the Near and Far East.;This text stresses the major themes in the history of medicine - placing the modern experience within the framework of historical issues - and it presents medical history as an important part of intellectual and social history, supplying students with an examination of the field that encourages them to question modern medical assumptions. Areas that are less familiar to students are highlighted, and case histories represent broader issues and trends.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0071I5BP8
• ISBN13: 9780824786731
• Release Date: March 1992
• Publisher: Marcel Dekker Inc
• Length: 393 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 6.3" x 1.0"

Customer Reviews

Great reference or fun read

I took Professor Magner's course at Purdue University and truly enjoyed her style. She speaks to the student as an equal participant, and it shows in her text as well. I have now finished medical school, but still refer to this undergraduate text as both a resource and enjoyable reading material.

A History of Medicine

This is the best general textbook that I have found. (Ackerknecht's is old and assusmes too much historical and cultural background; Bettmann's is even older, and more fun than accurate; Rhodes' is too British for most students.) Most history of medicine is written for readers learned in history or medicine, and Magner is unusual in addressing the actual student and the curious general reader. Magner has obviously taught a real class, to real students. Unfortunately, the publisher is apparently accustomed to sticking it to medical students, who may bear crippling loans, but can expect to make decent money some day. For liberal-arts students, the price is cruel. Why not an affordable paperback, which would be very widely adopted?