Customer Reviews

Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The lurid title of Richard Hollingham's "Blood and Guts" is appropriate, considering its gruesome subject matter. The author traces the history of surgery from ancient times, with the disclaimer that he has not attempted to cover the subject in its entirety. Rather, Hollingham surveys significant events in trauma surgery, cardiac surgery, plastic surgery, transplant surgery, and neurosurgery. He points out that early surgeons, well-meaning though they may have been, probably killed more people than they saved. What chance did hapless patients have without x-rays to show the body's inner workings, anesthesia to reduce pain, and antibiotics and sterile operating rooms to prevent infection? The sick and injured were literally at the mercy of whoever was cutting them. Even if the "victim" miraculously survived, he or she was likely to come out of the operation badly mutilated.

Britain's finest surgeon in 1842 was Robert Liston. Although his operations were "messy, bloody, and traumatic," at least he knew enough to work quickly and under relatively clean conditions. Compared to his peers, he had a low mortality rate--one in six. However, he was arrogant and sometimes careless. During one of his operations, he had a three hundred percent mortality rate--two people died in addition to the patient!

We have come a long way from the days of Liston and especially from the time of the Roman physician, Galen. The latter thought that the heart is a furnace and that the body's humours needed to be rebalanced through vomiting, bloodletting, and purging. The annals of medicine are filled with ghastly mistakes, such as a hand transplant that went terribly wrong, hideously botched amputations, crude plastic surgery that disfigured rather than healed, and one of the most repugnant practices of all--prefrontal lobotomies. Some of the saddest and most poignant stories are those of severely wounded and maimed soldiers and the doctors who tried to save them.

"Blood and Guts" celebrates such heroes as Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister, who laid the groundwork for today's emphasis on antisepsis; Walter Lillehei, who with Dick DeWall, worked on a "bubble oxygenator" that served as a heart-lung machine (this would make open heart surgery safer); and Sir Harold Gillies, who dedicated his life to refining the techniques of reconstructive surgery. Richard Hollingham horrifies and fascinates us with his lively and often astonishing accounts of various experimental procedures. Although the book's themes are anything but amusing, Hollingham's crisp and occasionally tongue-in-cheek writing makes this somewhat macabre work a bit more palatable. Still, many readers will be appalled at the ways in which surgeons used human beings as guinea pigs. However risky surgery is now, going under the knife was far more dangerous when surgeons "were prepared to have a go and see what happens." If they failed, they chalked it up to experience. Pity the poor person at whose expense this knowledge was gained.

After watching the PBS show of the Blood and Guts serie (a real shame as there is no DVD copy in the market) I found the book and even different of the TV serie, it is a remarkable reading.

Mr. Hollingham tackles his subject with the skill of a surgeon - actually, with much more skill than many of the early surgeons chronicled in this fascinating book. Full of detail and wit, this quite approachable book is a must read for anyone interested in the medical profession, history, or just plain good writing.

Amazing. Just amazing. This book crams all the amazing accounts of surgery in one place. Each page is a great view into this gory history. I collect surgical books and am extremely fascinated by every aspect of it. This book just opened so many new avenus of my collection of books and knowledge. Thank you Richard Hollingham.

Reviewer's background- I'm a a general surgery resident; I might be harsher than other reviewers, but I hope I can give a review helpful to everyone.

This book is a nice appetizer for anyone interested in the history of surgery. It was written in conjunction with a BBC television series, and it reflects an episodic TV format (for better and for worse).

The good- This is a fun, well written, and fast book to read. The author covers a large swath of surgery: cardiac, transplant, reconstructive and even neurosurgery. Every page has a notable scene / anecdote. Blood and Guts spans centuries, from Galen in Ancient Rome to modern hand transplant surgeons. Despite the pop aspects to Blood and Guts, this is also a smart read. The author trained for 5 years to be a physician, and I think this makes Blood and Guts more intelligent than most journalistic fluff. There aren't the grating errors that make medical professions cringe (unlike most news articles or pop TV). I think the final product belies the amount of research the author put into his work.

What's 'lacking'- Because of the breadth tackled by this book, it doesn't flow seamlessly and lacks a unifying theme. This is fine if you're reading in short bursts (e.g. sitting on the can) but cumbersome if you're reading for long stretches. Also, because of the brevity and quick pace of the book, it doesn't really delve into what the patients or surgeons experienced while encountering such dramatic diseases. Children dying after cardiac surgery, RAF airmen disfigured from battle wounds, terrible surgeons, and great surgeons- it's like you're speed dating them. This book lacks a significant emotional impact for such a potentially powerful subject.

Summary- This is good fast food. Not the stuff you get in the airport, but something tasty you would get every week or so when you could spare a few minutes. For someone interested but new to the medical field, a 5 star read. For medical professionals, 3 stars. For someone totally uninterested, it may provide you with some entertainment, but it won't linger like the best books.

As a surgical tech, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about some of the milestones of surgery. The author makes it real with details that put you right there at that time in history. Amazing and informative. I shall be buying more books on this subject.

I strongly suggest this marvelous and easy read history of surgery for all residents in surgery and young surgeons. The reader will have an unforgettable journey in all aspects of evolution of surgery, from the first operations performed under awkward circumstances up to modern surgery which is safely and effectively applied. It is suggested for surgeons from all specialties of surgery.

This book is quite an interesting read. I enjoy the fact that there a-many 'short stories' thereby keeping you 'rivetted' for sure... Not too long, not too boring.... :).
PS... I was happy with the prompt delivery and condition of the book when received. Thanks.

I got two copies of this book a while back, one did not have any pictures in it and the other did.

This was such a joy to read that even the non history buff would enjoy this. It is written in a fast paced and engaging style. I couldnt put it down. The best medical history book Ive read. Rather than a dry chronology like many history books this book hits the highlights and describes them in a way that takes the reader right into the operating room. There are some truly amazing stories in the history of surgery. If you are curious, then this is the place to start.