Murder, Magic, and Medicine [Paperback]

John Mann (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198558546 | ISBN-13: 978-0198558545 | Publication Date: June 30, 1994

People have always been curious about the plants and animals with which they coexist. Primitive cultures identified edible and poisonous plants by a process of trial and error, and then began to exploit the toxic materials for hunting, euthanasia, executions, and murder. Other plants were found to have stimulatory or hallucinogenic effects: these not only formed the basis of magico-religious rites, they also encouraged experimentation which led to the identification of plants with useful medicinal properties. This absorbing account of the evolution of modern medicine from its roots in folk medicine will entertain and inform both scientist and general reader alike. It explains the chemical basis of modern pharmacology, and provides a fascinating description of how the use and abuse of natural products in various societies throughout the ages has led to the development of many of the drugs we now take for granted. Many plants and animal species remain undiscovered, and much native folk medicine has yet to be investigated. This book is intended for scientists and general readers with an interest in medicine, ethnology, history, folk medicine, pharmacology, literature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the hardback:

'it has the readability of a detective story and is very difficult to put down ... Professor Mann has successfully interwoven strands of history, botany, chemistry and pharmacology into a fascinating and compelling narrative. It is the sort of book that even the most sophisticated phytochemist will enjoy; at the same time it is recommended reading for students embarking on a natural product research programme.' Jeffrey B. Harbornme, University of Reading, Phytochemistry, Vol. 33, No. 3, 1993

'wonderful book ... read Mann's wonderful book for the way it explores and brings to life the significance, the challenge, and the promise of medicine within our chemical heritage.' Arnold Thackray, University of Pennsylvania, Chemistry and Engineering News, November 1993

'This is an entertaining book that is very well crafted by an author who has a talent for story telling. His style of writing provides both information and entertainment. The author has a very well developed low-key sense of humor that I found refreshing. I found this book to be both informative and entertaining, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know something about how drugs are discovered. The book should be a pleasant surprise to those who take the time to read it.' Joseph E. Knapp, University of Pittsburgh, Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 57, No. 1, January 1994

'For anyone interested in the origins of modern medicine, this is a fascinating book. Apart from its intrinsic interest, this is a compelling account of the valid reasons for preservation of our natural heritage - before it's too late!' Lifewise, Sept '93

'sure to be a source of entertainment ... for a wide audience, ranging from teenagers to eminent professors of science ... For the university lecturer, it provides a cornucopia of fascinating information to enhance courses in chemistry or related fields ... This book is a great investment and can be enthusiastically recommended for anyone.' J.C. Vederas, University of Alberta, Natural Product Reports, Issue 3, Vol. 11

'Excellent and competitively priced study of the way modern medicine grew out of traditional, folk medicine. Professor Mann reveals the importance of traditional, herbal remedies in the development of many modern, high technology drug therapies.' European Medical Journal, No. 14, Autumn 1994

'an entertaining, but selective, collection of anecdotes encompassing pharmaceutical, ethnopharmacological, and toxicological history ... would be useful to pharmacists in academic settings who want material to spice up otherwise ordinary pharmacology lectures ... must reading for people preparing for the Toxicology Quiz Bowl at the American Association of Poison Control Centers annual meeting. Beginning pharmacy students will find the historical perspective on their profession enlightening. Finally, any pharmacist interested in discovering the derivation of common pharmaceutical names ... will be delighted to find this information and more.' Susan C. Smolinske, American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, April 1994

`the book is packed with historical information, as well as modern pharmacological information. It is recommended on that account to all who are interested in medicines ... The value of the book lies ... in its appreciation of the actual case histories of drugs ... He is to be congratulated for condensing centuries of drug lore into one small volume while at the same time reviewing the latest scientific ideas of how drugs work.' William C Campbell, Drew University, Madison, Journal of the History of Medicine, Vol. 49, Jan 1994

an entertaining, but selective, collection of anecdotes encompassing pharmaceutical, ethnopharmacological, and toxicological history ... a book that would be useful to pharmacists in academic settings who want material to spice up otherwise ordinary pharmacology lectures. This book is must reading ... Beginning pharmacy students will find the historical perspective on their profession enlightening. s

About the Author

Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Reading

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 30, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198558546
• ISBN-13: 978-0198558545
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #641,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing influence of plants and microoganisms on history., October 19, 1999

By 

Koren Holland ([e-mail]) (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder, Magic, and Medicine (Paperback)

John Mann creatively links science and history together by referencing historical events, like the witch trials, to chemicals produced naturally by microorganisms, plants and animals. I use this book in an introductory science course to demonstrate how important natural products are in our society today -- whether the chemical is beneficial or deadly. Easy reading for the non-scientist, but factual enough for the scientist.

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book about natural products, August 27, 2010

By 

John M. Berger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder, Magic, and Medicine (Paperback)

This is my favorite book about natural products. It essentially describes the impact of natural products throughout history: quinine and the conquest of the new world, ergot alkaloids and witch trials, absinthe and Van Gogh, etc. A little chemical knowledge is helpful but it can be read by non-scientists.