- 496 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A startling narrative revealing the impressive medical and surgical advances that quickly developed as solutions to the horrors unleashed by World War I. The Great War of 1914-1918 burst on the European scene with a brutality to mankind not yet witnessed by the civilized world. Modern warfare was no longer the stuff of chivalry and honor; it was a mutilative, deadly, and humbling exercise to wipe out the very presence of humanity. Suddenly, thousands upon thousands of maimed, beaten, and bleeding men surged into aid stations and hospitals with injuries unimaginable in their scope and destruction. Doctors scrambled to find some way to salvage not only life but limb. The Great War and the Birth of Modern Medicine provides a startling and graphic account of the efforts of teams of doctors and researchers to quickly develop medical and surgical solutions. Those problems of gas gangrene, hemorrhagic shock, gas poisoning, brain trauma, facial disfigurement, broken bones, and broken spirits flooded hospital beds, stressing caregivers and prompting medical innovations that would last far beyond the Armistice of 1918 and would eventually provide the backbone of modern medical therapy. Thomas Helling's description of events that shaped refinements of medical care is a riveting account of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of men and women to deter the total destruction of the human body and human mind. His tales of surgical daring, industrial collaboration, scientific discovery, and utter compassion provide an understanding of the horror that laid a foundation for the medical wonders of today. The marvels of resuscitation, blood transfusion, brain surgery, X-rays, and bone setting all had their beginnings on the battlefields of France. The influenza contagion in 1918 was an ominous forerunner of the frightening pandemic of 2020-2021. For anyone curious about the true terrors of war and the miracles of modern medicine, this is a must read.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Chapter One: The Fury of War
- Chapter Two: Marcille, Mignon, and Verdun: The Peculiar Metamorphosis of Battlefield Surgery
- Chapter Three: Deep Mischief Lurking: The Unraveling of Traumatic Shock
- Chapter Four: “The Most Atrocious of Ills”: The Great War and the Scourge of Gas Gangrene
- Chapter Five: “Gas, Gas, Gas!”
- Chapter Six: Röntgen’s Rays and Petites Curies
- Chapter Seven: The Remarkable Harvey Cushing and His Journeys through the Brain
- Chapter Eight: Shattered Faces
- Chapter Nine: Owen Thomas, His Splint, and Nephew Robert
- Chapter Ten: Shell Shock
- Chapter Eleven: Death Rides upon a Pale Horse: The Influenza Pandemic of 1918
- Chapter Twelve: And After the Dying
- Photographs
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Endnotes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Copyright