"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Van Helmont's theories demonstrate the faulty logic that crippled medicine for most of human history. Human knowledge of anatomy began with observations of twitching organs on mortally wounded soldiers as they died on the battlefield, and for thousands of years couldn't move much past that. And even when a real scientific breakthrough occurred--as in the mid-18th century, when René Réaumur figured out that stomach acids, rather than compressive forces, were responsible for digestion--it had to be imbued with some sort of spiritual, supernatural component that overrode the science.
The problem, Nuland writes, is that the human mind seems to have an impulse to "turn instinctively toward mysticism when reason has no ready explanation for the mysteries still remaining in our biology." Elegantly and humorously, Nuland shows us how we came to understand the organs from which we've derived the strongest and strangest mythology--stomach, liver, heart, spleen, and uterus. After reading this book, you'll be able to smile appreciatively when someone expresses a "gut feeling" or relates how he "vented his spleen." --Lou Schuler
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition 0.97. Seller Inventory # bk0684854872xvz189zvxnew
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published 0.97. Seller Inventory # 353-0684854872-new
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 409792-n
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 9780684854878
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # I-9780684854878
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. *A New York Times Notable Book* From the author of the National Book Award-winning How We Die comes a blend of fascinating storiesabout human anatomy and the surgeons complicated profession (Chicago Tribune).Dr. Sherwin Nuland, a gifted and deeply intelligent writer (San Francisco Chronicle), combines knowledge, compassion, and elegance of expression to shed light on the workings of our bodies from the perspective of a surgeon. Dr. Nuland recounts age-old legends about the functions and "personalities" of the body's organs and, in riveting vignettes of the surgery he has performed, he describes the connections between myth and reality. A brilliant blend of science and folklore, The Mysteries Within reveals the enigmas not only of the body but also of the human imagination. Synopsis coming soon. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780684854878
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Brand New Copy. Seller Inventory # BBB_new0684854872
Book Description PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # L0-9780684854878
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0684854872
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Seller Inventory # GoldenDragon0684854872