Routledge - With Words and Knives: History of Medicine Book

Explore the complex relationship between medical practitioners and their patients in early modern England. Before the invention of modern anaesthetics, medical procedures and surgeries were often brutal, painful experiences for everyone involved. This book examines how doctors and surgeons managed the intense physical and emotional demands of their work. Through an analysis of the construction of detachment, the text looks at how medical professionals developed dispassion to perform necessary but painful tasks. It provides a deep look into the history of medicine in context, focusing on how the requirement to inflict pain for the sake of a cure shaped the professional identity of the surgeon. This work is an essential read for those interested in the historical evolution of medical practice and the psychological realities of early modern healthcare.