Overview

""Recommended for high-school students as an introduction to the topic, and to general readers interested in browsing brief but fascinating medical history."" - Booklist Explore historical and contemporary fringe remedies seen as strange, ridiculous, or even gruesome by modern Western medicine but which nevertheless played an important role in the history of medicine. From placing leeches on the neck to treat a cough to using crocodile dung to prevent pregnancy, a number of medical treatments that now seem unusual were once commonplace. While a few of these remedies may have been effective, most were either useless or actually counterproductive to good health. Even today, there are alternative and fringe treatments considered bizarre by mainstream medicine yet are used by hundreds of thousands of people. Bizarre Medicine: Unusual Treatments and Practices through the Ages offers a fascinating look into the history of medicine. Entries are organized by disease or medical condition and explore the folk and traditional ""cures"" used to treat them. Explanations are provided for why some treatments may have worked and why others may have done more harm than good. In addition, entries provide a clear description of the causes, symptoms, and current treatment options for each condition based on current scientific understanding. Each entry also discusses the condition's enduring impact on society and the arts.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ruth Clifford Engs
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
ISBN:  

9798216445562

Pages:   376
Publication Date:   22 January 2026
Recommended Age:   From 7 to 17 years
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Primary & secondary/elementary & high school ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Educational: Primary & Secondary
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

List of Entries Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Entries Appendicitis Arthritis, Rheumatism, and Gout Back Pain and Spine Issues Birth Defects and Congenital Anomalies Bites: Mammals and Reptiles Bites and Stings: Insects and Arachnids Bowel and Rectal Issues Burns Cancer Cardiovascular (Heart) Diseases Childbirth: Maternal Complications Childbirth and the Normal Postpartum Period Childhood Diseases Cholera Common Cold and Other Nasal Issues Coughs, Bronchitis, and Laryngitis Depression and Melancholia Diabetes Dislocations, Sprains, and Bruises Drowning, Choking, and Asphyxiation Ear Issues and Deafness Eye Conditions, Visual Impairment, and Blindness Fevers Foot Problems Fractures and Bone Issues Gastroenteritis, Dysentery, and Diarrhea Head and Hair Issues Headaches and Head Injuries Health Maintenance Hernia Hysteria and Mass Hysteria Infant Issues, Illnesses, and Death Inflammation and Pain Influenza Insomnia and Sleep Disorders Leg Problems Leprosy Liver and Gallbladder Issues Malaria and Intermittent Fevers Menstruation and Gynecological Issues Mental Disorders (“Neurotic”): Anxiety and Functional Disorders Mental Disorders (“Psychotic”): Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia Neurological and Dementia Disorders Obesity and Weight Loss Parasites and Worms Plague Pneumonia and Lung Conditions Polio Pregnancy: Common Issues and Potential Complications Pregnancy: Infertility, Fostering Conception, and Pregnancy Tests Pregnancy: Prevention and Termination Rheumatic and Scarlet Fever Seizures and Epilepsy Sexually Transmitted Infections Skin Conditions Smallpox Sore Throats Sterility and Male Reproductive Issues Stomach Ailments Stress and Anxiety Substance Use Disorders Tetanus Tooth and Mouth Issues Tuberculosis Typhoid Fever Typhus Urinary Tract Issues Wounds and Wound Infections Yellow Fever Zoonotic Diseases Glossary Bibliography Index

Reviews

A useful starting point for students and the general public interested in the history of medicine. * Library Journal * Recommended for high-school students as an introduction to the topic, and to general readers interested in browsing brief but fascinating medical history. * Booklist *

Author Information

Ruth Clifford Engs, RN, EdD, is Professor Emerita of Applied Health Science in the School of Public Health, Indiana University-Bloomington, USA.

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