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Crucial Interventions: An Illustrated Treatise on the Principles & Practice of Nineteenth-Century Surgery Hardcover – Illustrated, November 23, 2015

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 399 ratings

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A beautifully illustrated look at the evolution of surgery, as revealed through rare technical illustrations, sketches, and oil paintings

The nineteenth century saw major advances in the practice of surgery. In 1750, the anatomist John Hunter described it as “a humiliating spectacle of the futility of science”; yet, over the next 150 years the feared, practical men of medicine benefited from a revolution in scientific progress and the increased availability of instructional textbooks. Anesthesia and antisepsis were introduced. Newly established medical schools improved surgeons’ understanding of the human body. For the first time, surgical techniques were refined, illustrated in color, and disseminated on the printed page.

Crucial Interventions follows this evolution, drawing from magnificent examples of rare surgical textbooks from the mid-nineteenth century. Graphic and sometimes unnerving yet beautifully rendered, these fascinating illustrations, acquired from the Wellcome Collection’s extensive archives, include step-by-step surgical techniques paired with depictions of medical instruments and depictions of operations in progress.

Arranged for the layman (from head to toe)
Crucial Interventions is a captivating look at the early history of one of the world’s most mysterious and macabre professions. Illustrated in color and black-and-white throughout
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most striking feature of this impressive book is the very large number of images reproduced from the historical collections of the Wellcome Library. Every page is filled with vivid illustrations of surgical instruments and every conceivable surgical procedure, including many that readers may find difficult to imagine. Barnett provides an informative and engaging account of the emergence of the surgery that is recognized today. Highly recommended."
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About the Author

Richard Barnett is currently the director of studies in history, Pembroke-King’s Program, University of Cambridge, and honorary research fellow, UCL. His writing has appeared in The Lancet, The London Magazine, and The Natural Death Handbook. He is the author of Crucial Interventions, Medical London: City of Diseases, City of Cures and The Sick Rose.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0500518106
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thames & Hudson; 1st edition (November 23, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780500518106
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0500518106
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.08 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1.3 x 9.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 399 ratings

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Richard Barnett
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Richard Barnett is a writer, teacher and broadcaster, mostly on the history of science and medicine, and a poet. He studied medicine in London before becoming a historian, and taught at Cambridge, UCL, and other leading institutions for more than a decade. In 2011 he received one of the first Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellowships.

Richard's first book, 'Medical London: City of Diseases: City of Cures', was a Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4, and his 'The Sick Rose: Disease and the Art of Medical Illustration', an international bestseller, was described in the Guardian as 'superbly lucid and erudite'. His 'Dedalus Book of Gin' is now out in paperback, and was Nick Lezard's choice in the Guardian. 'Crucial Interventions: An Illustrated Treatise on the Principles and Practice of Nineteenth-Century Surgery', was published in 2015, and 'The Smile Stealers: The Fine & Foul Art of Dentistry', in 2017.

His latest book, 'Wherever We Are When We Come To The End', will be published by Valley Press on 20 May. 'Seahouses', his award-winning first poetry collection, came out in 2015. He has written for the Lancet and the London Review of Books, and has made many appearances on TV & radio. Find him online at richardbarnettwriter.com.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
399 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book has excellent illustrations, diagrams, and visuals. They describe it as a remarkable and interesting read for healthcare professionals. The book is reminiscent of old medical texts and recommended for physicians with an interest in history.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

22 customers mention "Illustrations"22 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the illustrations in the book. They find the pictures brilliant, with great diagrams and overall visuals. The book contains at least one illustration in the introduction, most containing two or three. Readers also mention that the prints are vivid, the descriptions and information are exquisitely presented, and every detail has been considered.

"...the back matter and pages 18 and 19 of the Introduction, contains at least one illustration; most contain two or three, and a few, fifteen or more...." Read more

"...Oh, yes! Full color illustrations of everything you can imagine going wrong with the human body. And the surgical instruments!..." Read more

"This book is a great compilation of illustrations. Would be a fantastic purchase for anybody in your life who is in medicine...." Read more

"...Very reminiscent of old school medical texts. Amazing illustrations and very informative...." Read more

20 customers mention "Readability"18 positive2 negative

Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They describe it as a great read for healthcare professionals, coffee tables, or curiosities. The illustrations are impressive and informative.

"...I was delighted! This is a remarkable book and will interest anyone interested in 19th-century surgery." Read more

"...Amazing illustrations and very informative. Make sure the cloth side of the book doesnt get dusty, it's a little hard to wipe down. Loved it...." Read more

"my boyfriend is a medicine student and he loved this book!!: it has pretty good and detailed images, even better than the ones in some of his..." Read more

"Provocatively intriguing piece of literature...." Read more

10 customers mention "History"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and recommend it for physicians interested in history. They appreciate the illustrations and quality paper and bindings. However, some feel the text lacks details on anesthesia and surgical practices of the past.

"...management in the era before truly safe anesthesia, and the history of surgical practice. There is something new to see on every page...." Read more

"...been made more apparent than in this completely horrifying book about surgical practices of yore. Oh, yes!..." Read more

"...Not for the squeamish, but a fantastic history to surgery in the nineteenth century. Highly recommend - especially as a gift." Read more

"Book itself came in immaculate shape. Very reminiscent of old school medical texts. Amazing illustrations and very informative...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2017
    I am thrilled to own this book. I am writing a Regency-era novel in which the protagonist is a surgeon. I have read numerous books on surgery published in the early 1800's, few of which provide illustrations of surgical procedures. Richard Barnett's book is a goldmine. It allows me to confirm many aspects related to 19th-century surgery: hand positions, the types of instruments used for various procedures, the positioning of limbs or the tongue or the eye, the location of tendons and the great vessels. Every single page, excepting the back matter and pages 18 and 19 of the Introduction, contains at least one illustration; most contain two or three, and a few, fifteen or more. Barnett's text addresses many of the topics I am most interested in: antiseptics, pain management in the era before truly safe anesthesia, and the history of surgical practice. There is something new to see on every page. When I first flipped to the section on the abdomen, I found a large, magnificent illustration of the mesentery and the transverse colon, both mentioned in my novel. I was delighted! This is a remarkable book and will interest anyone interested in 19th-century surgery.
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2021
    We've come a long way, baby. Never has this been made more apparent than in this completely horrifying book about surgical practices of yore.
    Oh, yes! Full color illustrations of everything you can imagine going wrong with the human body. And the surgical instruments!
    Its astounding anyone actually survived.
    The illustrations are incredible and the text is informative.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2020
    This book is a great compilation of illustrations. Would be a fantastic purchase for anybody in your life who is in medicine. Not for the squeamish, but a fantastic history to surgery in the nineteenth century. Highly recommend - especially as a gift.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2019
    Book itself came in immaculate shape. Very reminiscent of old school medical texts. Amazing illustrations and very informative. Make sure the cloth side of the book doesnt get dusty, it's a little hard to wipe down. Loved it. Worth every penny and very well priced at 14 bucks.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2018
    my boyfriend is a medicine student and he loved this book!!: it has pretty good and detailed images, even better than the ones in some of his official textbooks , maybe the content of the book cannot be used as a reference for his classes, but definitely is quite a nice book with amazing well-detailed pictures
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
    Provocatively intriguing piece of literature. In my "heading" I mentioned for the "Healthcare Professional," however I do believe it appeals to a wider audience. The text, in conjunction with the beautiful and brilliant illustrations/pictures, really capture the Historical aspect of what could be labeled as our torrid medical past practices that helped direct and shape today's medicine.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2020
    Focused on old surgical techniques. Detailed illustrations, not for squeamish. Great coffee table book. Made a great gift.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2019
    This Book is Beautifully Illustrated and I will be using it to better my knowledge of the Human Anatomy and for Artistic Purposes.

    Thank you for selling it and I’m thrilled that I purchased it.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • cody
    5.0 out of 5 stars Did not know sick rose was part of a trilogy
    Reviewed in Canada on July 25, 2022
    Great book and a great trilogy on diseases medical interventions and dentistry. Filled with great drawings and information that is sure to make anyone in to last podcast on the left or history would enjoy.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Una joya
    Reviewed in Spain on September 24, 2023
    Lo compré para una amiga y le encantó. Me lo compraré para mí también.
  • Hannah
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly disturbing!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2022
    The book from the outset is amazing- it has a professional appearance and comes with a lot to digest about historical surgeries. As aware as I am that our medical understanding has improved, I actually bought this book for artistic inspiration and reference. It is great for that purpose.

    Lots of gross stuff, no part of the body is skipped it seems and I was surprised by how daring some of the practises were. Not recommended for the squeamish but highly recommended for those interested in anatomy or history.
  • Francesca Pugliese
    5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece for anatomy lovers.
    Reviewed in Italy on September 13, 2021
    Delivery perfectly on time. This book is a must have for anatomy lovers!
  • Wei
    5.0 out of 5 stars Solid hardcover design with rich visual contents
    Reviewed in Germany on July 16, 2020
    Solid hardcover design with rich visual contents, reasonable price for this! Delivery just took one day to arrive.