dissecting the goods / 
/ 2010-02-05
An excellent book with insightful essays. Wonderful reproductions lusciously spread throughout. A real gem of a book. Highly recommended for those with either a penchant for the macabre or photographic history.
The anatomy lab / / 2009-12-27
At Galveston, where I went to Medical School, the gross anatomy lab was about 8 city blocks from the beach and palm trees. In our first lecture, the Professor noted that this was a funeral home, and that anyone taking the cadavers to the beach would be kicked out of the school. You think that's a joke at first, until you get acclimated some weeks later and you start thinking, "hey, I could use some sun. Perhaps Karl (the Cadaver) wants some sun, too..." then the warning pulls you short.
The boundary between proper decathexis so that one can continue to think clearly in an emergency and callousness can be very thin...(no, I never did anything bad. Although I am told that the anatomy lab was a favorite haunt for women dates of male medical students, again because of the macabre aspect.)
A great peice of history / / 2009-12-08
I bought this as a gift for my boss, a doctor. We all loved it. Great antique photos, info, history. Great for anyone who's interested in the stages the medical field has gone thru.
Dissection: Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine 1880-1930 / / 2009-11-13
Excellent book as an addendum to any physician's library. There are 3 in our family, plus a PhD in cellular molecular biology and all tout this book.
At the least I'm glad someone is publishing stuff like this... / 
/ 2009-06-30
I absolutely adore old photographs and paintings of bygone days. Anything that tells a little bit about some aspect of life in the past. When I heard this reviewed as pictures of medical students mugging with their human dissection subjects I couldn't wait to get it. I'm never queasy and often irreverent so I doubted I'd be offended. In addition this book educates about the rather immoral ways of obtaining medical subjects in the past, and I feel its important not to ignore the wrongs of the past. There are many photos from baltimore where many of the subjects of these dissections were black and the phrase that had been chalked on the table in one photo was particularly offensive and educational about the attitudes of many people in the past.
My only problem with this book is that it gets rather dull and repetitive. Lets be honest, it isnt purely an objective analysis of the past that makes photos like this interesting, the subject raises quite a bit of natural (if less than noble) curiosity itself. I really thought the doctors would have been more creative in posing their subjects or themselves. The corpses are often hard to see or so over used that there is not much left to see and the doctors stand the same way again and again. I'm sure this is to be expected but its a bit like seeing tons of posed class pictures of anybody, it get a bit monotonous in spite of the macabre nature of the subject. I wouldn't complain at all except that the book is a bit pricey for something that isn't quite as exciting as it sounds. Still I'm glad I bought it and can definitely understand why it costs so much.
Its also better to buy it on here than your local bookstore like I did. They kept the book behind the counter at my local large bookstore and treated me like I was asking for porn when I asked if they had it.
superb black and white pictorial history / / 2004-03-03
this quite magnificent volume touches upon various aspects of principally american medical history. i am rather interested in this topic for professional reasons and found the layout and previously unseen photos extremely useful. the topics such as: war medicine; a day in the life of a country doctor; heroes in medicine and so on give the book a very human touch. recommended reading if only for the great photos.
Medicine's Great Journey / / 2001-03-18
This is an extremely informative book, packed with high-quality photographs. The text is geared toward the layperson; it is not a technical book. It is historically accurate and an enjoyable read for anyone interested in the history of medicine.
The Union of Science and Art / / 2006-04-19
One of the more interesting and important exhibitions from the Metropolitan Museum is richly illustrated in this catalogue from THE ART OF MEDICINE IN ANCIENT EGYPT. The exhibition was organized to highlight many of the artifacts owned by the museum, works that show the very close relationship between the practice of medicine and the need for artifacts to represent science.
The Egyptian obsession with death and the afterlife is well known: the secrets of preservation of bodies as mummies and the intricate, complex manner in which the tombs were created and decorated have long mesmerized us. But in this fine catalogue it is demonstrated how the 'art of medicine' as we use the term (meaning the sensitive manner in which healing and succor are delivered) is not the only manner in which the Egyptians employed the concept. Ritual and art objects were an important part of the delivery of healing, preservation and restoration of health. Included in the catalogue are some sixty images of art: pomegranate jars, a statue of Yumy, a bowl with human feet, Isis nursing horus, a portrait of a mummy, the Metternich Stela, and the sole borrowed piece for the exhibition - the Edwin Smith Papyrus (with translation) which is one of the oldest documents of ancient medical arts.
The contributing essays are well written, easily digestible, and serve to enhance the appreciation of the art illustrated. They emphasize the Egyptian preoccupation with understanding the world of this life as well as the afterlife. The medicine aspects of the exhibition contain both scientific and magical solutions to healing and repairing. This book is one that should appeal to those fascinated by Egypt, by the history of medicine, and by the ritualistic art that accompanies the cultures of the universe in both past and present times. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, April 06
The Art of Medicine in Ancient Egypt / 
/ 2006-02-28
A good ressource for those interested in the history of medicine or egyptology . Some of the items are rarely seen in catalogues and the Smith papyrus transcription and translation is helpful in understanding one particular aspect of understanding ancient Egyptian medicine (the scarcity of transcripted and translated papyri might make this purchase worthwile for that reason alone)
That being said for the experienced armchair egyptologist many of the items presented here will be familiar , and in most cases the explanations while informative for the newcomer will be well known to the enthusiast
The introductory essay is vanilla as well , not substantially squaring the circle but instead stating the importance of the contribution the ancient Egyptians made to medical understanding then and now .
However , the medical annotations that dot the Smith papyrus can be helpful in assessing the competence of Egyptian physicians or elucidate problems of comprehension that may arise from reading the translation
Overall this is a solid purchase, though not an essential one . It might make a good diving-board into egyptology however as the explanations are clear and concise
A powerful testimony to the power of prejudice even in the field of medical research. / / 2006-11-07
The Troubled Dream of Genetic Medicine: Ethnicity and Innovation in Tay-Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sickle Cell Disease provides a history of diseases which have been connected with racial makeup, sparking ethnic controversies in their discussion and analysis. The authors draw links between biology and social issues, examining underlying influences on research and perspective of modern medicine and how Americans ultimately come to embrace or reject projected breakthroughs. From therapy as social justice to media headlines and changing social perspectives, THE TROUBLED DREAM OF GENETIC MEDICINE is a powerful testimony to the power of prejudice even in the field of medical research.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Inner Peacefulness / / 2009-04-12
I have previous Medicine Wheel Calendars. They provide a daily connection to Earth, Nature, and Self to start a day. What else can I say; there is no more to say or needs to be said.
medicine wheel / / 2008-06-02
This book is good for young men to read. People of Indian decnt will find it interesting
Not traditional but interesting nonetheless. / / 2006-04-25
I bought this book years ago (before Amazon.com even existed). I've met Sun Bear, Wabun and the whole Bear Tribe in person, when they were located near Spokane, WA. (I even met Medicine Story, one of the reviewers up there. Hi again!)
Several of the reviews take issue with the idea of an astrological-type system because there was no such thing among the native peoples of this continent. Well, Sun Bear himself said the same thing. The ideas in this book weren't meant to represent traditional Chippewa or Native American beliefs. They're a completely new idea, given to Sun Bear in a vision that he had.
Other reviewers mention that you are not locked in to particular personality traits due to the time of your birth, but that anyone can change. Sun Bear covered that as well. First, this system is just symbolism to try to give people some insight into how they are. It's not a hard-and-fast type of thing. It's more like Rosarch ink blots- just a tool to help you learn about yourself. Second, he says in the book that people often move around on the medicine wheel as they go through life, sharing traits with and seeing from the perspective of the various different totems.
As a self-analysis or self-help book I recommend Medicine Wheel. It's well worth a read.
Everything that comes around goes around. / / 2004-06-15
I have only read one book by Sun Bear and was facinated by the fact that anyone, Native or not, could find peace by just doing something spiritual like this. I am a member of two Ojibway tribes, and yes, I did grow up on three different reservations in my life so I feel I can speak with confidence on this matter. I do not care if people agree or disagree with the Native religions because they are all different and it is not up to me,or anyone else, to tell you what is native or non-native so if you believe you can find happiness from reading "astrological" points of view from Sun Bear then buy the book because it is better to love and practice something than to practice nothing at all. I would also recommend traveling to a nearby "Rez" for an introduction to religion, and they don't have to be Chippewa like myself or Sun Bear, because I know the best spiritual advise cannot be found in books. To correct a few reviews and from an Anthropological view, the Chippewa, or Ojibway, were not buffalo chasers like the plains natives, but fisherman and farmers from Canada with a HEAVY influence from the French (hows that for a European astrology connection) so please correct your review Apacheman because we, the Chippewa, are woodland indians so how could you know if we kept a calender or not (especially the Apaches being a Mexico indian). Native religions do not hate like others do so please do not give us a bad name because I read your profile and it seems all your reviews were negative. And as far as two bears is concerned I would like to know who named you or what naming ceramony you attended because we all have two lives, the one everybody see's and the one we hide(naming yourself does not constitute an indian name).
Very Enjoyable / / 2001-11-27
This book has come off the shelf multiple times. It has interesting insight and is enjoyable to read. If you like things like horoscopes and such, you'll enjoy Sun Bear's take on it all.
