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The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
A mysterious epidemic of dental explosions,
A teenage boy who got his wick stuck in a candlestick
A remarkable woman who, like a human fountain, spurted urine from virtually every orifice
These are just a few of the anecdotal gems that have until now lain undiscovered in medical journals for centuries. This fascinating collection of historical curiosities explores some of the strangest cases that have perplexed doctors across the world.
From seventeenth-century Holland to Tsarist Russia, from rural Canada to a whaler in the Pacific, many are monuments to human stupidity – such as the sailor who swallowed dozens of penknives to amuse his shipmates, or the chemistry student who in 1850 arrived at a hospital in New York with his penis trapped inside a bottle, having unwisely decided to relieve himself into a vessel containing highly reactive potassium. Others demonstrate exceptional surgical ingenuity long before the advent of anaesthesia – such as a daring nineteenth-century operation to remove a metal fragment from beneath a conscious patient’s heart. We also hear of the weird, often hilarious remedies employed by physicians of yore – from crow’s vomit to port-wine enemas – the hazards of such everyday objects as cucumbers and false teeth, and miraculous recovery from apparently terminal injuries.
A teenage boy who got his wick stuck in a candlestick
A remarkable woman who, like a human fountain, spurted urine from virtually every orifice
These are just a few of the anecdotal gems that have until now lain undiscovered in medical journals for centuries. This fascinating collection of historical curiosities explores some of the strangest cases that have perplexed doctors across the world.
From seventeenth-century Holland to Tsarist Russia, from rural Canada to a whaler in the Pacific, many are monuments to human stupidity – such as the sailor who swallowed dozens of penknives to amuse his shipmates, or the chemistry student who in 1850 arrived at a hospital in New York with his penis trapped inside a bottle, having unwisely decided to relieve himself into a vessel containing highly reactive potassium. Others demonstrate exceptional surgical ingenuity long before the advent of anaesthesia – such as a daring nineteenth-century operation to remove a metal fragment from beneath a conscious patient’s heart. We also hear of the weird, often hilarious remedies employed by physicians of yore – from crow’s vomit to port-wine enemas – the hazards of such everyday objects as cucumbers and false teeth, and miraculous recovery from apparently terminal injuries.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2018
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9945 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Morris
3 books57 followersLibrarian note: There are multiple authors with this name in this data base. This one is Thomas^^^Morris.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 573 reviews
March 24, 2022
Written by a medical historian with a sense of humour, this is a good read for anyone who finds the title intriguing. Broken up into short sections, each story comes from early modern or modern medical journals.
We get sections on tragic cases, like Hoo Loo's, where he travelled from China to London in 1831 hoping to have a fifty-six pound tumor removed so "he might prove a comfort to his aged mother, instead of being a burden to her." We find a man who swallowed his false teeth and, thirteen years later, died when they punctured his lung. We see a miller's arm ripped off so cleanly the surgeon found it barely bleeding and only needing the outer flesh closed over the wound. We also get purely amusing cases of smokers who burned their moustaches with flammable burps, caused by a stomach blockage preventing food from entering the intestines before fermenting.
There is of course an entry touching on the long-standing battle of men vs. women's corsets, claiming that the dastardly corsets stopped mothers from nursing, made childbirth more harrowing, and caused cancer. This from the same doctor who also wanted to outlaw pants for children.
However, "[t]he methods they used were consistent with their understanding of how the human body worked, and it is not their fault that medical knowledge has advanced considerably since then."
We get sections on tragic cases, like Hoo Loo's, where he travelled from China to London in 1831 hoping to have a fifty-six pound tumor removed so "he might prove a comfort to his aged mother, instead of being a burden to her." We find a man who swallowed his false teeth and, thirteen years later, died when they punctured his lung. We see a miller's arm ripped off so cleanly the surgeon found it barely bleeding and only needing the outer flesh closed over the wound. We also get purely amusing cases of smokers who burned their moustaches with flammable burps, caused by a stomach blockage preventing food from entering the intestines before fermenting.
There is of course an entry touching on the long-standing battle of men vs. women's corsets, claiming that the dastardly corsets stopped mothers from nursing, made childbirth more harrowing, and caused cancer. This from the same doctor who also wanted to outlaw pants for children.
However, "[t]he methods they used were consistent with their understanding of how the human body worked, and it is not their fault that medical knowledge has advanced considerably since then."
March 16, 2019
When was the last time one of your teeth exploded? Or how about the time you ate some fresh lettuce out of the garden and two days later garden slugs climbed out of your stomach and into your mouth? Or your grandmother got pregnant at age 75? Or your neighbor swallowed 27 knives and lived? These are the types of curiosities contained in this humorous book written tongue-in-cheek by a medical historian
The author researched old books, pamphlets, letters, and doctors notes from the 18th and 19th centuries to find the information some of which will make you wince. He warns the reader that the majority of the cases are exaggerations, frauds accepted as truth, and misdiagnosis errors by medical practitioners. Medicine was still pretty much a guessing game during those times and in some cases the author proves how the story absolutely could not be true (such as the man who taught his child to breathe underwater) while others are not probable but could be possible (such as the man who swallowed his false teeth and lived).
I think the author had as much fun writing this book as it is to read it. Let's be honest...how many people do you know who urinate through their ear? Funny stuff indeed.
The author researched old books, pamphlets, letters, and doctors notes from the 18th and 19th centuries to find the information some of which will make you wince. He warns the reader that the majority of the cases are exaggerations, frauds accepted as truth, and misdiagnosis errors by medical practitioners. Medicine was still pretty much a guessing game during those times and in some cases the author proves how the story absolutely could not be true (such as the man who taught his child to breathe underwater) while others are not probable but could be possible (such as the man who swallowed his false teeth and lived).
I think the author had as much fun writing this book as it is to read it. Let's be honest...how many people do you know who urinate through their ear? Funny stuff indeed.
August 11, 2021
The mystery wasn't solved, but there were plenty of curiosities in the annals of medical lore, a big one being how we survived the doctors. Many didn't as bleeding, purgatives, & poisons were prescribed in precisely the wrong situations. Blowing smoke up someone's ass (a common treatment especially for drowning victims) & similar treatments might not cause much harm, but they certainly didn't help. Any actual help was usually from rest & nursing care. Overall, this was a fun, if disturbing, series of accounts that put me in mind of "Ripley's Believe It Or Not".
The author often quoted from published accounts from the 16th century into the early 20th. I'm not sure why he stopped so soon as the history of lobotomies, eugenics, & homosexual cures is just as disturbing & happened far more recently. (I read about the last still happening in a current article.) Still, medicine became much more of a reputable science in the 20th century, a lot later than seems right. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that germs were even found, though. We've come very far, very fast.
Some of the injuries people endured were incredible & many of the tales were more so. One guy held a candle for the doctor while getting the other amputated! A lot were obvious fabrications which is pointed out with explanations. Folks are a credulous lot & tales certainly grow in the telling. That they made the medical journals & were often believed is rather chilling. He also did a great job of translating some of the more obscure terms & those which have changed over time.
It makes me feel somewhat better about my doctors' fumbling & occasionally life-threatening attempts to cure my current ailment, but not much. Well narrated & worthwhile, but just for fun.
The author often quoted from published accounts from the 16th century into the early 20th. I'm not sure why he stopped so soon as the history of lobotomies, eugenics, & homosexual cures is just as disturbing & happened far more recently. (I read about the last still happening in a current article.) Still, medicine became much more of a reputable science in the 20th century, a lot later than seems right. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that germs were even found, though. We've come very far, very fast.
Some of the injuries people endured were incredible & many of the tales were more so. One guy held a candle for the doctor while getting the other amputated! A lot were obvious fabrications which is pointed out with explanations. Folks are a credulous lot & tales certainly grow in the telling. That they made the medical journals & were often believed is rather chilling. He also did a great job of translating some of the more obscure terms & those which have changed over time.
It makes me feel somewhat better about my doctors' fumbling & occasionally life-threatening attempts to cure my current ailment, but not much. Well narrated & worthwhile, but just for fun.
December 22, 2018
3.5 stars
Wild and wacky! Just plain bizarre! Many cures for many illnesses that would turn your hair pure white if even suggested today.
Written by a medical historian, this book delves back to the 19th century, assembled mostly through old medical journals and newspaper clippings. With groupings like "Unfortunate Predicaments" telling of 'honking like a goose'; "Mysterious Illnesses" with 'the woman who peed through her nose'; "Dubious Remedies" with 'the pigeon's rump cure'; "Tall Tales" with 'the slugs and the porcupine'; "Hidden Dangers" with 'killed by his false teeth' this book is filled with unbelievable stories of unimaginable situations. The cures are even more bizarre! Hot water bottles, opium, laxatives and leeches were everyday cures and possibly the most sane.
These hard to believe illnesses and cures makes our modern medicine such an evolution. But it also testifies as to the resilience of people, who were actually just lab rats at the time. It makes you wonder what of today's medical miracles will become ridiculous, dangerous, and obsolete in the near future.
A fun book to read, that will have you both appalled, at some of the stories, yet thankful you live in the current world of medicine.
Wild and wacky! Just plain bizarre! Many cures for many illnesses that would turn your hair pure white if even suggested today.
Written by a medical historian, this book delves back to the 19th century, assembled mostly through old medical journals and newspaper clippings. With groupings like "Unfortunate Predicaments" telling of 'honking like a goose'; "Mysterious Illnesses" with 'the woman who peed through her nose'; "Dubious Remedies" with 'the pigeon's rump cure'; "Tall Tales" with 'the slugs and the porcupine'; "Hidden Dangers" with 'killed by his false teeth' this book is filled with unbelievable stories of unimaginable situations. The cures are even more bizarre! Hot water bottles, opium, laxatives and leeches were everyday cures and possibly the most sane.
These hard to believe illnesses and cures makes our modern medicine such an evolution. But it also testifies as to the resilience of people, who were actually just lab rats at the time. It makes you wonder what of today's medical miracles will become ridiculous, dangerous, and obsolete in the near future.
A fun book to read, that will have you both appalled, at some of the stories, yet thankful you live in the current world of medicine.
November 10, 2020
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth
And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
By: Thomas Morris
Narrated by: Thomas Morris, Ruper Farley
Wow, this book tells the strangest tales of horrible things that happened to people or people did to themselves, or just weird stories or bad luck! Stupidity or bad luck? Maybe a bit of both!
I won't even try to give examples because I don't want my review to be censored! I love to read about bizarre medical history and culture. This covers more weird things doctors came across they had to treat. It does give examples of treatments but mostly it's about the problem and how it happened! Very interesting indeed!
And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
By: Thomas Morris
Narrated by: Thomas Morris, Ruper Farley
Wow, this book tells the strangest tales of horrible things that happened to people or people did to themselves, or just weird stories or bad luck! Stupidity or bad luck? Maybe a bit of both!
I won't even try to give examples because I don't want my review to be censored! I love to read about bizarre medical history and culture. This covers more weird things doctors came across they had to treat. It does give examples of treatments but mostly it's about the problem and how it happened! Very interesting indeed!
January 26, 2019
Medicine is an ever-evolving profession, and its history can be downright weird. Medical historian Thomas Morris has combed through countless vintage medical journals and historical documents showcasing the progress medicine has made in a relatively short time. His work goes beyond bizarre anecdotes, and instead softens the wonky view of health, breaking into sections ranging from Horrifying Operations to Mysterious Illnesses. Collected here are stories not just of fatal mistakes, but also triumphs and impossible medical breakthroughs.
Who knew pain and poor health could be so funny? The assembled trove of research on maladies and operations are entertaining on their own. The documents in the section discussing the death of the 11th Earl of Kent are morbidly hilarious in their deadpan delivery, but Morris’s asides heighten the material. This carries onto the rest of the book as well. He’s reserved in his delivery, letting source materials speak for themselves, but he knows just how to insert a joke to lighten the mood. It’s necessary when reading about forks stuck in orifices or the ever-present tobacco smoke enema. He doesn’t always hit the obvious jokes, but he hits the right ones.
This is not to suggest that Morris only provides comedic relief. While he does poke gentle fun at some of the more ludicrous ideas, he’s careful not to mock everything outright. He gives praise for some fairly ingenious ideas— and some successes, like a successful 18th century self-performed lithotripsy. However, it’s his explorations of the potential justifications for some ideas that sets this book apart. He has no problem digging deep into research in order to uncover why doctors and medical practitioners assumed outrageous (by today’s standards) remedies would work. Sure, placing a dove on the anus as a treatment seems absurd, but there was some bit of reasoning behind it.
Most books that present anecdote after anecdote begin losing steam around the halfway point. However, Morris has found a workaround here— and it’s not just because the stories shared are cringe-inducing or groan-worthy. Rather, he’s crafted a well-thought-out text that’s tightly packed and clips along nicely. It’s almost like he’s telling the stories directly to the reader, taunting, “You’ll never believe this next part.”
Perhaps most interestingly, Morris challenges readers to not be so sure of our methods today. If we consider the the typical processes of the previous century outlandish now, what will future professionals think of our performance today?
If nothing else, we should be thankful we live in a time of anesthesia and antibiotics.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Who knew pain and poor health could be so funny? The assembled trove of research on maladies and operations are entertaining on their own. The documents in the section discussing the death of the 11th Earl of Kent are morbidly hilarious in their deadpan delivery, but Morris’s asides heighten the material. This carries onto the rest of the book as well. He’s reserved in his delivery, letting source materials speak for themselves, but he knows just how to insert a joke to lighten the mood. It’s necessary when reading about forks stuck in orifices or the ever-present tobacco smoke enema. He doesn’t always hit the obvious jokes, but he hits the right ones.
This is not to suggest that Morris only provides comedic relief. While he does poke gentle fun at some of the more ludicrous ideas, he’s careful not to mock everything outright. He gives praise for some fairly ingenious ideas— and some successes, like a successful 18th century self-performed lithotripsy. However, it’s his explorations of the potential justifications for some ideas that sets this book apart. He has no problem digging deep into research in order to uncover why doctors and medical practitioners assumed outrageous (by today’s standards) remedies would work. Sure, placing a dove on the anus as a treatment seems absurd, but there was some bit of reasoning behind it.
Most books that present anecdote after anecdote begin losing steam around the halfway point. However, Morris has found a workaround here— and it’s not just because the stories shared are cringe-inducing or groan-worthy. Rather, he’s crafted a well-thought-out text that’s tightly packed and clips along nicely. It’s almost like he’s telling the stories directly to the reader, taunting, “You’ll never believe this next part.”
Perhaps most interestingly, Morris challenges readers to not be so sure of our methods today. If we consider the the typical processes of the previous century outlandish now, what will future professionals think of our performance today?
If nothing else, we should be thankful we live in a time of anesthesia and antibiotics.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
December 23, 2021
Nekad nav bijis tik viegli slimot, kā šobrīd - anastēzija, antibiotikas, sterili instrumenti un augstas higiēnas prasības slimnīcās… kā mums ir noveicies! Humorīgi šausmu stāstiņi iz medicīnas vēstures. Jūrnieks - nažu rijējs vairāku gadu desmitu garumā laikam bija mans favorītstāsts.
Un vēlreiz atgādinu - mūsdienu zobārsta apmeklejums principā ir SPA atpūta, salīdzinot ar vēl pavisam nesenu pagātni!
Un vēlreiz atgādinu - mūsdienu zobārsta apmeklejums principā ir SPA atpūta, salīdzinot ar vēl pavisam nesenu pagātni!
April 3, 2021
Kaut kas interesants no medicīnas vēstures - dīvainas procedūras, trakas zāles un crazy 19.gs. ārsti.
December 2, 2021
Dažādu 19. gs. medicīnisku kuriozu (vārda tiešā nozīmē - tādu, kas saista uzmanību ar neparastumu, parasti ačgārnību) apkopojums - nezinu, vai tas gluži izglīto, bet izklaidē gan. Un ļauj priecāties, ka neesi tur un tad: neviens nepūtīs tev tabakas dūmus dibenā, lai izglābtu. Neviens neveiks bez narkozes atklātu sirds operāciju, lai pie reizes pierādītu, ka sirdij var skarties klāt cik grib, jo tai neesot sāpju receptoru. Neviens nemēģinās tavu jaundzimušo padarīt par amfībiju, slīcinot siltā ūdenī. Bet neviens tev arī neticēs, ka tavā kuņģī dzīvo gliemji vai zem ūdens pavadīji vairākas dienas.
March 20, 2019
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine contains a distressing lack of exploding teeth stories. Don't get me wrong, the exploding teeth do make an appearance - and indeed, the first hand accounts of them are even more startling than you might imagine. A report as loud as a gunshot, a molar split in half - these are the sorts of details I was very much looking forward to. Yet only two accounts are in the book, and not much speculation is there as to just why people's teeth were exploding. Luckily, there are many more bizarre tales to be told between this book's covers.
I was torn between two or three stars and eventually settled upon two for a few reasons. The book was incredibly entertaining, yes, and there were a whole host of bizarre stories within it. The problems for me arose from the lack of elaboration on each of the cases. The pithy remarks were occasionally amusing, but I think the book would have been better served by diving deeper into fewer stories than the broad brush over many. Quality over quantity, after ll.
Nonetheless, this was a very entertaining book and definitely gave me some inspiration for future writing. Who, after all, can forget the image of a child vomiting up live slugs? What about a person sticking a fork up their anus in an attempt to relieve constipation? Or, maybe, a person getting most of their ribs removed while remaining conscious throughout the entire procedure - without any anesthesia? And the enemas. Oh, the enemas.
Medical history will probably always amuse me, and this is a fun dip into it. If you want deeper dives and more comprehensive analysis, though, I think the podcast Sawbones is a better starting point.
I was torn between two or three stars and eventually settled upon two for a few reasons. The book was incredibly entertaining, yes, and there were a whole host of bizarre stories within it. The problems for me arose from the lack of elaboration on each of the cases. The pithy remarks were occasionally amusing, but I think the book would have been better served by diving deeper into fewer stories than the broad brush over many. Quality over quantity, after ll.
Nonetheless, this was a very entertaining book and definitely gave me some inspiration for future writing. Who, after all, can forget the image of a child vomiting up live slugs? What about a person sticking a fork up their anus in an attempt to relieve constipation? Or, maybe, a person getting most of their ribs removed while remaining conscious throughout the entire procedure - without any anesthesia? And the enemas. Oh, the enemas.
Medical history will probably always amuse me, and this is a fun dip into it. If you want deeper dives and more comprehensive analysis, though, I think the podcast Sawbones is a better starting point.
March 29, 2020
3.5 stars
A really interesting—if repetitive—look at many of the oddest cases of Western medical history.
The cases themselves were fascinating and intriguing. You’ll definitely remember these short notations and leave with some truly horrific visuals. (In case it’s not clear from the title, this medical history text is extremely graphic—if you’re squeamish, I’d pass on this one).
However, I wish the author had wrapped these short anecdotes together into a different narrative structure. It was a boring read, and felt much longer than necessary because it was essentially reading clip after clip of historical reporting...with commentary that felt repetitive in style even as it discussed unique events.
In a way, I feel like this book was a million tiny blog posts slammed together. So for that, it’s not an enjoyable book to sit down and read all at once.
A really interesting—if repetitive—look at many of the oddest cases of Western medical history.
The cases themselves were fascinating and intriguing. You’ll definitely remember these short notations and leave with some truly horrific visuals. (In case it’s not clear from the title, this medical history text is extremely graphic—if you’re squeamish, I’d pass on this one).
However, I wish the author had wrapped these short anecdotes together into a different narrative structure. It was a boring read, and felt much longer than necessary because it was essentially reading clip after clip of historical reporting...with commentary that felt repetitive in style even as it discussed unique events.
In a way, I feel like this book was a million tiny blog posts slammed together. So for that, it’s not an enjoyable book to sit down and read all at once.
August 3, 2024
There are many reasons that I am thankful that I was born when I was. My sex can vote. The FDA and the EPA exist. (For now.) Mostly, I am thankful for all the medical advances of the last century. I am thankful for antibiotics, antisepsis, and anesthetic. After reading Thomas Morris’ The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine, I am unspeakably thankful that I was born decades after doctors prescribed enemas for everything, bleed everyone even if they were already bleeding, and never, ever washed their hands...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
March 29, 2020
Author Thomas Morris compiled cases from various sources--newspapers, books, medical journals, etc.--with some unusual twists. In some instances, things are grotesque, in others just odd. The treatments sometimes bring a little humor to the story. I enjoyed the glimpses of actual headlines or snippets of the books, but this was just a mediocre read for me. Some stories were revulsive. The author uses a lot of quotes from his sources so the original voices do not become lost to the modern reader. I do think it provides good diversion for those interested in the history of medicine. In these times of COVID-19, a look at some of the past's mysterious illnesses may bring a little comic relief--or it may be a little too much like current headlines.
August 30, 2025
many of the "mysteries" weren't actually explained, but it was still fun to read! ^_^
December 1, 2019
What a wacky bunch of medical journal entries. I was completely entertained, and memorized a few gruesome tales for the next time I can't extricate myself from conversation with a creep.
July 10, 2019
This is everything I typically want from an audiobook - light, punchy, entertaining, and well-narrated (except for a predictable bit of British-reader-sucks-at-American-accents syndrome). It was exactly as disgusting as I'd hoped, while brimming with delightfully dainty Victorian euphemisms, such as referring to the ass as "the fundament." Do recommend.
April 9, 2022
History is filled with weird, wacky, and amazing medical discoveries and conundrums. This nonfiction book contains true-to-life cases of often cringey behaviors and medical responses as well as medical missteps and mysteries (some still unsolved). There is also a handy chapter on likely fakes.
The author is from the UK and has a delightfully wry sense of humor about some gasp-worthy accidents and surgical blunders that keep the pages turning. I often chuckled at his asides and commentary. He's clearly a talented writer who relishes both research and palatable presentation of facts for a modern audience.
Fair warning: many of the tales in this book are not for the squeamish, prudish, or sensitive of stomach. Medical descriptions, from historical records and medical journals and often excerpted in the book, are blunt and unvarnished. Readers who don't enjoy historical nonfiction wouldn't resonate with the book, either.
The book is well-organized with chapter titles and subtitles for each medical case, making it easy to read a handful of cases at a time and then take a break. The book could be read nonchronologically as well. There's also an index that could be helpful for students.
Readers who enjoy books about health, healthcare, science, medical history, historical nonfiction, and scientific discoveries will find much here to ponder, read aloud, and discuss. This book would make for a great conversation with a friend or book club. Speaking of which, I read this book for my book club, and I can't wait to discuss my favorite and least favorite excerpts.
The author is from the UK and has a delightfully wry sense of humor about some gasp-worthy accidents and surgical blunders that keep the pages turning. I often chuckled at his asides and commentary. He's clearly a talented writer who relishes both research and palatable presentation of facts for a modern audience.
Fair warning: many of the tales in this book are not for the squeamish, prudish, or sensitive of stomach. Medical descriptions, from historical records and medical journals and often excerpted in the book, are blunt and unvarnished. Readers who don't enjoy historical nonfiction wouldn't resonate with the book, either.
The book is well-organized with chapter titles and subtitles for each medical case, making it easy to read a handful of cases at a time and then take a break. The book could be read nonchronologically as well. There's also an index that could be helpful for students.
Readers who enjoy books about health, healthcare, science, medical history, historical nonfiction, and scientific discoveries will find much here to ponder, read aloud, and discuss. This book would make for a great conversation with a friend or book club. Speaking of which, I read this book for my book club, and I can't wait to discuss my favorite and least favorite excerpts.
April 17, 2019
“Horrible Histories for Adults” is the tagline: Morris pulls out obscure and hardly believable stories from medical history, as reported in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century books and periodicals, and presents them as a mixture of primary text and modern commentary. I got a poor impression from the first section, which is full of puerile sniggering at penises getting stuck in unlikely places and objects being inserted into orifices. Some of the later sections on bizarre remedies and gruesome surgeries are of more interest. Overall, there’s too much swallowing of random stuff. This was entertaining enough to keep as a bedside book, but not all I was hoping for considering this was what I treated myself to (new, full-price) with a birthday book token.
A favorite line: “‘Injurious excess of exertion’ is a good phrase, and one which I intend to use next time I am feeling too lazy to go out for a run.”
A favorite line: “‘Injurious excess of exertion’ is a good phrase, and one which I intend to use next time I am feeling too lazy to go out for a run.”
December 28, 2018
I. Loved. This. Book.
The subject matter couldn't be any more in my wheelhouse.
The author writes with a great sense of humor and his translation/commentary of the historical documentation is almost always just as entertaining as the subject of the case.
I gasped and groaned to myself while reading this book and felt compelled to share (uninvited, usually) the particularly gruesome or weird cases with whomever was unfortunate enough to be within earshot.
One thing I will say is while I appreciated the "tall tales" section for the dubious medical stories, I felt it was a bit unnecessary when the book was loaded with so many other more credibly (?) noted cases.
But, overall a must read if you love weird medical history!
The subject matter couldn't be any more in my wheelhouse.
The author writes with a great sense of humor and his translation/commentary of the historical documentation is almost always just as entertaining as the subject of the case.
I gasped and groaned to myself while reading this book and felt compelled to share (uninvited, usually) the particularly gruesome or weird cases with whomever was unfortunate enough to be within earshot.
One thing I will say is while I appreciated the "tall tales" section for the dubious medical stories, I felt it was a bit unnecessary when the book was loaded with so many other more credibly (?) noted cases.
But, overall a must read if you love weird medical history!
May 8, 2019
Some terrifically interesting if not incredible medical stories and anecdotes, but absolutely awful writing by Thomas Morris who fancies himself a witty man. The authour has ruined his own book by trying to be clever and failing as it were, miserably. The pages are littered with utterly pointless asides and "ahems', "deal with it", "oh wells" - grow up, Thomas. Write like an adult FFS.
September 3, 2019
I really enjoyed this one. It hooked me from page one and I devoured it whenever I found spare time.
The human capacity for mischief, misadventure and downright idiocy is apparently a trait that progress cannot eradicate.
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth is a gathering of stories from history that suspend belief in some cases or in some cases just show the strength of the human body. Many of these cases have been documented in medical journals, although some passed through word of mouth and are largely believed to be tall tales, which are included in their own section.
Super-mesenteric-vein-expia-thrombosis, the Clinical Sequelae Can Be Quite Atrocious”—the improbable title of an article about a serious complication of appendicitis.
Thomas Morris provides a humorous narration that I enjoyed even more than the stories about humans who survived eating knives or bullets through the head.
And more importantly, the correct answer to the question “Can you swallow more knives?” is never “All the knives aboard the ship.”
Highly recommended as a humorous but interesting read. If not just to remind you of how lucky we are to live in a time where enemas and bleedings are not the answer to EVERYTHING and anesthetic and anesthesia exist.
The human capacity for mischief, misadventure and downright idiocy is apparently a trait that progress cannot eradicate.
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth is a gathering of stories from history that suspend belief in some cases or in some cases just show the strength of the human body. Many of these cases have been documented in medical journals, although some passed through word of mouth and are largely believed to be tall tales, which are included in their own section.
Super-mesenteric-vein-expia-thrombosis, the Clinical Sequelae Can Be Quite Atrocious”—the improbable title of an article about a serious complication of appendicitis.
Thomas Morris provides a humorous narration that I enjoyed even more than the stories about humans who survived eating knives or bullets through the head.
And more importantly, the correct answer to the question “Can you swallow more knives?” is never “All the knives aboard the ship.”
Highly recommended as a humorous but interesting read. If not just to remind you of how lucky we are to live in a time where enemas and bleedings are not the answer to EVERYTHING and anesthetic and anesthesia exist.
July 5, 2019
The grumpus23 (23-word commentary)
Compendium of oddities from the early days of western medicine. While mostly true, they have a "Believe it or not" feel I enjoy.
Compendium of oddities from the early days of western medicine. While mostly true, they have a "Believe it or not" feel I enjoy.
January 31, 2019
"Trying to impress your friends while under the influence of industrial quantities of alcohol is more often than not a really terrible idea. And more importantly, the correct answer to the question 'Can you swallow more knives?' is never 'All the knives aboard the ship.'"
I love reading about weird medical stuff. And this book has a lot of weird stuff. From a young man in 1724 who had a fork lodged in his anus to a man who survived, and recovered fully, other than having a stiff knee, being shot and stabbed with a bayonet. Most of the odd medical cases or dubious remedies offered here are from the 1700's to the early 1900's, and make you extremely thankful that you live in an age of hand-washing and medical care that does not contain leeches or crow bile.
I really enjoyed that this book isn't overly scientific. While there's nothing wrong with being scientific, this book is fun to read instead of feeling like homework for high-school biology. It also isn't full of irrelevant anecdotes that draw you away from the hilarious medical anomalies that presented themselves to old school doctors.
Also, as a side note, apparently the human yearning to stick things into your butt that don't belong there is not a new thing. People have apparently been fascinated by, and getting things lodged into, the anus for the entirety of medical history.
I love reading about weird medical stuff. And this book has a lot of weird stuff. From a young man in 1724 who had a fork lodged in his anus to a man who survived, and recovered fully, other than having a stiff knee, being shot and stabbed with a bayonet. Most of the odd medical cases or dubious remedies offered here are from the 1700's to the early 1900's, and make you extremely thankful that you live in an age of hand-washing and medical care that does not contain leeches or crow bile.
I really enjoyed that this book isn't overly scientific. While there's nothing wrong with being scientific, this book is fun to read instead of feeling like homework for high-school biology. It also isn't full of irrelevant anecdotes that draw you away from the hilarious medical anomalies that presented themselves to old school doctors.
Also, as a side note, apparently the human yearning to stick things into your butt that don't belong there is not a new thing. People have apparently been fascinated by, and getting things lodged into, the anus for the entirety of medical history.
Read
May 13, 2019If you’re a fan of the bizarre or medical mysteries, this is the book for you! Thomas Morris pulls together little known, unusual and sometimes scary medical stories from the period between the 17th and early 20th centuries. Gathered from medical journals and other sources, these tales show the ways doctors tried and even sometimes succeeded to cure people in the days before antibiotics and modern surgery. Some cures are precursors to more modern treatments, while others are blind alleys (pigeons to treat convulsions, anyone?) Morris provides the history of the doctors involved and helpfully footnotes the modern names for body parts and cures for the reader, which I liked. He also lets us know what happened to the patient afterwards if that information is available. I found it fascinating and a reminder of why I don’t want to live in the olden times. -Lynn H.
November 7, 2021
Historia medycyny w jednym zdaniu: kiedy pacjent ma silną wolę wyzdrowienia – medycyna bywa bezsilna…
Ciekawostek medycznych i dziwnych przypadków to ja mam powyżej uszu w pracy, ale został mi do zrealizowania ostatni podpunkt z wyzwania tematycznego na 2021 rok: książka, która w tytule ma jakąś część ludzkiego ciała. Chyba jasne jest dla wszystkich, że w moim wydaniu to musiało być coś z zębami :D
Wybór padł na „Tajemnica eksplodujących zębów oraz inne ciekawostki z historii medycyny” – książkę zapowiadającą się jako luźną i zabawną i tak też było, chociaż im dłużej praktykuję, tym mniej mnie bawią takie tematy. Jak ktoś ma ochotę poczytać o dziwnych terapiach i różnorodnych przedmiotach wydobywanych z pacjentów – to coś dla Was.
P.S. Nie wyjaśnili tajemnicy eksplodujących zębów, jestem rozczarowana :(
6/10
Ciekawostek medycznych i dziwnych przypadków to ja mam powyżej uszu w pracy, ale został mi do zrealizowania ostatni podpunkt z wyzwania tematycznego na 2021 rok: książka, która w tytule ma jakąś część ludzkiego ciała. Chyba jasne jest dla wszystkich, że w moim wydaniu to musiało być coś z zębami :D
Wybór padł na „Tajemnica eksplodujących zębów oraz inne ciekawostki z historii medycyny” – książkę zapowiadającą się jako luźną i zabawną i tak też było, chociaż im dłużej praktykuję, tym mniej mnie bawią takie tematy. Jak ktoś ma ochotę poczytać o dziwnych terapiach i różnorodnych przedmiotach wydobywanych z pacjentów – to coś dla Was.
P.S. Nie wyjaśnili tajemnicy eksplodujących zębów, jestem rozczarowana :(
6/10
June 11, 2022
i loved it, cudowna książka jako ciekawostki na poprawę humoru
May 11, 2023
Honestly. The things people used to eat and put into their persons. And then not want the doctor to find out only to literally die of embarrassment.
February 21, 2019
I am not certain how this book manages to be both bizarrely interesting and, at the same time, mildly boring. The eleven pages of citations testify to thorough research into the medical literature of Europe and the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Antique medical terms are helpfully explained. The writing is clear and at times humorous. In the end, however, there are only so many ways to describe the survival of gruesome accidents, the catastrophic results of putting objects where they do not belong, or the laughable-if-they-were-not-so-lethal treatments of the time. The book reads as if it were a super-extended column of Ripley’s Believe It or Not. I longed for a context in which to place the anecdotes. What do these tales of illness and treatment tell us about the people and society of two centuries ago? Without context the stories are but freak shows. By the end I had enormous appreciation for what human bodies can sometimes overcome, gratitude that medicine today is not quite so misguided, and a whisper of fear that it may, in fact, be.
November 18, 2019
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
was a funny, informative and kinda gross read.
The author extracts information from old timey leaflets, advertisements, pamphlets, and medical journals about bizarre medical cases and fake medical news, before fake news was even coined.
Mr. Morris adds minor sarcastic jokes to some of the articles he summarizes, and makes the old fashioned narrative come alive with his helpful tidbits and explanations.
It's like I sometimes say; nothing is grosser than real life.
The author extracts information from old timey leaflets, advertisements, pamphlets, and medical journals about bizarre medical cases and fake medical news, before fake news was even coined.
Mr. Morris adds minor sarcastic jokes to some of the articles he summarizes, and makes the old fashioned narrative come alive with his helpful tidbits and explanations.
It's like I sometimes say; nothing is grosser than real life.
December 10, 2019
This is an entertaining and often comedically horrific collection of medical anecdotes gleaned from the pages of old medical journals and physician accounts. It is a fun read, but not for people with queasy stomachs.
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