From Magic to Molecules：An Illustrated History of Disease Hardcover – September 1, 2016

From Magic to Molecules is a magnificent and definitive history of the characterization and diagnosis of human disease. This encyclopedic and elegant compendium of the three century historical development of modern medicine is obviously a work of dedication and love of medical history by the editors and authors – academic glory and prestige is rarely gained by writing a book chapter, much less on the recondite subjects of history of medicine and history of pathology. The book is written primarily by pathologists with a focus on clinicopathologic correlation and clinical practice evolving in response to understanding of disease by physicians and surgeons at the time. The book is a truly international publication with authors from Europe, China, Japan, Australia and the United States.This an imminently readable book of 638 pages including Index. The glossy white pages and overall presentation are of the highest quality seen in medical publications - illustrations are apt and plentiful. The editors and authors have done an exceptional job of presenting a cogent and flowing, well-written text. The references following each chapter indicate the highest level of scholarship and are by themselves justification for owning this book if you have an interest in medical history.The first section is devoted to the evolution of the approach to human disease from antiquity to roughly the beginning of the 18th century – the chapter on “The Age of the Autopsy” is particularly interesting to me since it catalogues the rise and fall of the medical autopsy which is now an almost extinct part of current medical practice. The second section delineates the evolution of knowledge of human disease from the 18th century through the 20th centuries in France, Britain, Austria, Germany, Russia, China, and Japan. The chapters on France and Britain are particularly well-written and even entertaining as well as informative.The third section on the medical history and understanding of disease by individual organ system represent the large bulk of the text, pages 199 to 528. This represents a unique approach to medical history and makes this a useful concise medical history for the relevant medical practitioner. The chapters on Cardiovascular System, Lung and Skin are particular favorites of mine.I give From Magic to Molecules my highest recommendation as the best and most comprehensive book on Medical History and the History of Pathology that I have read. All medical practitioners will find something of interest to them. This book would make a superb background text for a course in Medical History … there are now precious few such courses in US medical schools.Kenneth L. Sims, M.D., FCAP (Emeritus)

A wonderful beautifully illustrated history of medicine.