• The Surgeon, the Midwife, the Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England - Hardcover
The Surgeon, the Midwife, the Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England
The Surgeon, the Midwife, the Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England

    The Surgeon, the Midwife, the Quack: How to Stay Alive in Renaissance England - Hardcover

    $28.15
    In stock!
    People are currently viewing this
    Select The Options Above
    Description

    by Alanna Skuse (Author)

    Discover the remarkable birth of modern medicine... and how not to die in the Renaissance
    'An entertaining history of medicine... Skuse brings a deep familiarity with the contemporary sources and a dry wit.' Dan Jones, The Sunday Times

    The cliched view medicine in the Renaissance world is dreadful: gore-splattered hacksaws, arsenic concoctions, the four humours and all those leeches...

    Reality, however, proves somewhat different.

    In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a medical revolution was afoot. Physicians' education was being formalised. Surgeons were documenting the intricacies of the human body with ever-greater skill. And, as European powers expanded into the New World, novel medicines and treatments were being discovered.

    Alanna Skuse ventures into the bustling medical marketplace of Renaissance England - a world of travelling surgeons, prosthetics craftsmen, faith healers and snake oil merchants.
    • Discover domestic healers like Elizabeth Freke, a doyenne of folk remedies, always ready to dole out tonics and elixirs to her ailing neighbours.
    • Browse the shelves of the early modern apothecary with Nicholas Culpeper as he lays the groundwork for the modern pharmacy.
    • Meet the expert midwife Jane Sharp, successful author and pioneer of women's health.
    • Join the intrepid plague doctor George Thomson as he braves London's Great Plague.

    Humane and entrancing, The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack reveals the people and stories behind a scientific revolution.

    'Fascinating.' Daily Mail

    'Meticulously researched and deliciously detailed.' Victoria Shepherd, author of A History of Delusions

    Author Biography

    Dr Alanna Skuse is a literary scholar, historian and author. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Reading and has written and broadcasted for BBC Radio, Wellcome Stories, the Conversation and History Today.

    Number of Pages: 384
    Dimensions: 1.34 x 8.83 x 5.7 IN
    Publication Date: February 03, 2026
    Add to Cart Select The Options Above

    Reviews

    Exceptional Support and Clean Code

    I was impressed by how fast the support team responded to my questions. Even as someone with basic coding knowledge, I found the theme incredibly easy to work with. The code is well-organized, and everything runs smoothly.

    — Lucas M

    Small Business Owner (Electronics Store)

    Reliable Theme with Excellent Customer Service

    After trying multiple themes, I finally chose Wokiee — and haven’t looked back. It’s reliable, modern, and easy to customize without coding. What impressed me most was their support team: fast, helpful, and willing to assist even with third-party issues. That level of service is rare!

    — Sophie N

    Owner of a Home Decor Store

    Beautiful Design and Great Flexibility

    Wokiee is hands down the best Shopify theme I’ve used. The design options are stunning and fully customizable. I was able to build a high-converting store without any external developers.

    — Rachel L

    Fashion Brand Founder

    Top-Notch Support and Regular Updates

    The customer support team is incredible — helpful, responsive, and very professional. They’ve helped me resolve everything from layout tweaks to app integrations. Plus, the theme is regularly updated with new features.

    — David P

    Shopify Consultant

    Amazing Customization Options"!

    Wokiee gave me full creative control over my store’s layout and visuals. The theme’s design blocks are so flexible that I could create something truly unique — without touching a single line of code.

    — James T

    Handmade Goods Seller

    High-Quality Theme with Professional Code

    You can tell Wokiee was built by pros. The code is clean and optimized for performance. No bloated features — just what you need. My store loads fast and looks great on all devices.

    — Anna V

    UI/UX Designer