Doctors Killed George Washington

A trivia collection that puts medical history under the microscope—with more than 500 little-known facts about doctors, diseases, and more. Did you know . . . Before the advent of surgery, ancient Egyptian doctors put their patients under by hitting them on the head with a mallet. Working with pigs can raise your risk of appendicitis. The Catholic Church has patron saints for many conditions, including hernias and syphilis. In 18th-century New York, eight people were killed and many more wounded during three days of anti-doctor riots. Doctors Killed George Washington reveals these and other stories of accidental medical discoveries, medical follies, bizarre cures, and more. With surgical wit, it examines centuries of medical practice, from herbalism and shamanism to the cutting-edge technology of today, providing hundreds of fascinating facts and outrageous oddities from the history of health care.