You Can't Make This Stuff Up! HIstory's Dumbest Medical Cures: Real History. Real Treatments. Real Dumb. (You Can't Make This Stuff Up! The Strangest True Stories in History)

Actually, this isn`t my normal sort of read. I was taken with the cover art. The book was clearly well researched and leaned towards a humorous style of writing. I thought there was room for a much bigger book and would`ve liked a more flowing style of publication but, it was worth the read. I feel that people interested in this specific field will love this book.

Oh brother…..This stuff gives me the willies! I know it’s all true (just look at the research done) but how did people ever get out of their teens? I’m going to give this to my internist and ask him if he ever still uses anything here. The book was fun but scary and anyone wanting perspective should read it.

The things people used to believe! The efficacy of bloodletting, dung-smearing, and many useless cures of days of yore is discussed in this witty book which grades all the cures by their usefulness (generally zero) - pain level - and much more. Many of the cures I knew about, but the author has a way with words and. irony. I would say it had me in stitches, but I'm scared of needles. It makes me wonder what nonsense we may take for granted today that in the future people will laugh at.

I couldn’t put this book down! It made me laugh,cringe, and grateful for today’s medicine. I love weird history and bizarre trivia. If you do, too, I recommend this book!

This book had me laughing and wincing at the same time. The fact that people actually tried these “cures” is both hilarious and terrifying. From leeches to lead, it’s a wild ride through medical madness. You’ll be thankful for modern medicine after reading this—just maybe don’t eat while flipping through it. A weirdly wonderful read!

A remarkably complete reference guide to truly-awful "cures" once practiced by ancient (and sometimes not so ancient) medical authorities that will shock you, astound you, and gross you out, but sometimes (actually fairly often) make you laugh, protected from those terrible times as we are today by modern medical science. (But you can't help but wonder, as you read about some of the idiotic things they used to put in people's bodies (and the way they did so), could we be doing something that will seem just as primitive to our descendants?) A highly entertaining book.

The title says it all and makes one wonder how humanity made it this far. This book is well written, well documented, and reminds us of how often the cure or the way things used to be looked at was seldom right. It is also written with a keen sense of humor. As I read it, I kept thinking of how we have suddenly turned back in many ways. We hear about false cures for diseases, or wacky theories about science-backed vaccines. In many ways, this is a cautionary tale. It is a quick read and well worth the time. Certainly, it is more fun than some of the things it talks about. The book also stands as a testament to human resilience and curiosity. Despite the astonishingly absurd medical practices of the past, it’s remarkable how humanity has managed to learn, adapt, and innovate. From bloodletting to radium tonics, the chapters act as both a history lesson and an invitation to reflect on our present-day understanding of medicine. A book like this not only entertains but also educates in the most memorable way.