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A sick history of medicine

£10.99

A disgusting history of medicine through the ages from Jelena Poleksic, featuring hilarious illustrations by Ella Kasperowicz.

In Stock

ISBN: 9781916745018 Category: Children's - Non-Fiction Tags: Children's / Teenage general interest: History & the past, Children's / Teenage general interest: Science & technology: general interes, Children's / Teenage personal & social issues: Body & health
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Description

WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED. This revolting history of medicine through the ages by Jelena Poleksic is full of blood, guts, and gore!

If you don’t like going to the doctor, spare a thought for your ancestors. Got a headache? We can drill into your skull! Need to buy medicine? Can we recommend a dose of ground-up Egyptian mummy? Want to fight off diseases? Try smelling a stinky cesspit.

It’s well-known that to make advances in science you have to make a few mistakes along the way. In this hilarious history book kids will be whisked around the world – from ancient Rome to imperial China – to meet the medical innovators who pushed the boundaries of what was possible, with sometimes disastrous effects. They’ll learn about the use of leeches, maggot-therapy (as gross as it sounds), dancing plagues, public dissections, grave robbers, electric eel treatments, exploding teeth, and much more!

Written by a doctor, everything in this book has been scrupulously researched and readers will learn about the development of some of our greatest inventions, from vaccines to X-rays. Amusing illustrations by Ella Kasperowicz make this a book kids will want to return to again and again.

The vile sequel to the equally revolting A Stinky History of Toilets!

Additional information

Weight 0.51 kg
Dimensions 29 × 23.6 × 1.2 cm
Author

Poleksic, Jelena

Publisher

Neon Squid

Imprint

Neon Squid

Cover

Hardback

Pages

48

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

610.9 (edition:23)

Readership

Children – juvenile / Code: J

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Athena recommends the book 'A Killer In Paradise' by Tom Hindle to be your next mystery read! 

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House of Books & Friends is excited to welcome Rozie Kelly to the store on 16th April at 6pm to discuss her book, Kingfisher, which has just been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2026. As well as a discussion on her book, there will also be a Q&A, plus the chance to get your books signed by Rozie. Rozie will be in conversation with Sara Hunt, publisher at Saraband.

Tickets and info can be found at the link in our bio 🖤

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March 8th marks International Women’s Day! This is a day to celebrate the achievements of women and is a call for gender equality. At House of Books and Friends we have taken the opportunity to recommend books FOR women BY women that are available both in-store and online, in order to raise awareness for women’s issues, but also just to showcase talented women writers.♀️

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With International Women's Day coming up, we thought we'd draw your attention to Virago, a publishing house which has been uplifting female authors for over 50 years! We stock plenty of their editions instore, swipe to read a little about them! 💜💜

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House of Books & Friends is thrilled to welcome Sheena Kalayil on Thursday 30th April at 6pm to discuss her book, ‘The Others’, recently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Tickets and info available at the link in our bio 

About the book

Secrets, lies and love as the DDR collapses. 

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When Armando and Lolita make a grisly discovery, they find themselves caught up in the politics of Theo’s homeland more than ever before. While a quiet revolution sweeps through Eastern Europe, and the Berlin Wall teeters, the three find themselves entangled in a poignant love triangle which threatens their futures.

As the world order shifts, their three lives are bound together in a web of love, lies and fears, leaving each irrevocably changed.

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Mar 4



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Congratulations to all the publishers and authors who have made it on to the Women's Prize for Fiction! A special shoutout to three titles on the list:

Marcia Hutchinson, who hosted the launch of The Mercy Step here at HOBAF 💚
Rozie Kelly, who's title Kingfisher was one of our booksellers favourite books from 2025 🐦
Sheena Kalayil, published through Fly on the Wall Press, who may be visiting us very soon...👀


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