A Fresh Crop of Non-Fiction Goodies

Been brushing up on my math skills lately, and this book has been helpful. 

The concepts are presented in short chapters, just a couple pages long. The inside is colorful, and there are some funny little math-related illustrations. Each section includes examples for easy comparison, and each chapter concludes with a Check Your Knowledge quiz, with answers provided.

Of course, if a student is actually struggling in a math class, he should go to his teacher. This book is a useful study aid, but doesn't replace quality instruction.

Since I read Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage and Manners so quickly, I needed another book that could satisfy my ever-growing curiosity about the way we used to think about our bodies, health, and medicine. This book provides a historical context for all the crazy things that we, both doctors and patients, have tried in the pursuit of health and happiness.

Indeed, this book has a section titled "The Women's Health Hall of Shame" which discusses theories on menstruation, hysteria and hysterectomies, and childbirth. We already know that there was a gross misunderstanding of women's anatomy for most of history, so the mentions of smelling salts and 'wandering uteri' aren't surprising to readers familiar with this reality. However, there are still some fun surprises in store. For example, First Century scholar Pliny the Elder recommended placing the right paw of a hyena on a pregnant woman to aid her delivery. And it's very important to use only the right paw; placing the left paw on the pregnant woman caused death. Yikes.

Keep movin', chuckles. 

I don't need your help birthin' this baby.

The title of Lindsey Fitzharris's book makes it sound like a Victorian crime novel, or a biography of Jack the Ripper.

This book is a denser read than the other ones I've been working through, so it might end up being one I skim, rather than read from cover to cover. Joseph Lister revolutionized the field of medicine when he began to promote the ideas of sterilizing surgery operatories and using antiseptic on wounds to prevent infection. He is referred to as the Father of Modern Surgery because his practices led to a much higher survival rate for patients.

I figured this might be an appropriate read in the time before my upcoming dental appointment because we have this guy to thank for Listerine.

It's like a rainbow of antiseptic goodness.