A History of Organ Transplantation: Ancient Legends to Modern Practice (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780822944133)

A History of Organ Transplantation is a comprehensive and ambitious exploration of transplant surgery--which, surprisingly, is one of the longest continuous medical endeavors in history. Moreover, no other medical enterprise has had so many multiple interactions with other fields, including biology, ethics, law, government, and technology. Exploring the medical, scientific, and surgical events that led to modern transplant techniques, Hamilton argues that progress in successful transplantation required a unique combination of multiple methods, bold surgical empiricism, and major immunological insights in order for surgeons to develop an understanding of the body's most complex and mysterious mechanisms. Surgical progress was nonlinear, sometimes reverting and sometimes significantly advancing through luck, serendipity, or helpful accidents of nature.

The first book of its kind, A History of Organ Transplantation examines the evolution of surgical tissue replacement from classical times to the medieval period to the present day. This well-executed volume will be useful to undergraduates, graduate students, scholars, surgeons, and the general public. Both Western and non-Western experiences as well as folk practices are included.

Author: David Hamilton
ISBN-10: 0822944138
ISBN-13: 9780822944133
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
Language: English
Published: 06/15/2012
Pages: 560
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 2.55lbs
Size: 10.20h x 7.30w x 1.50d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 06/01/2012 pg. 118
Choice 12/01/2012