Caroline Rance: 3 books

The history of medicine is a vast subject, encompassing the whole of humanity in every region of the globe. For millennia, our ancestors have sought to combat disease, relieve pain and postpone the Grim Reaper’s inevitable victory, doing so with a fortitude and humour that makes their experiences...

From the harangues of mountebanks to the dubious advertisements in Victorian newspapers, quackery sports a colorful history. Featuring entertaining advertisements from historical newspapers, this book investigates the inventive ways in which quack remedies were promoted – and whether the people...

Troubled by toothache? Dogged by dipsomania? Perhaps you have been poisoned or accidentally got a bottle stuck up your bottom? This compendium of tried and tested (and terrifying) historical remedies is your go-to guide for how not to seek medical relief. From smearing mouse-dung on your teeth to...