Skip to navigation Skip to content
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • facebook
Shop Now
House of Books & Friends
My Account
  • £54.96 4
House of Books & Friends
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Resources for Connection
    • News
    • A Chapter for Every Child
  • Shop
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Coffee & Connections
    • The Loneliness Project
    • The Sunday Letter Project
  • Afternoon Tea
  • Contact
    • Hire Us
    • Accessibility Information
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Resources for Connection
    • News
    • A Chapter for Every Child
  • Shop
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Coffee & Connections
    • The Loneliness Project
    • The Sunday Letter Project
  • Afternoon Tea
  • Contact
    • Hire Us
    • Accessibility Information
“Feeling words to explain my emotions” has been added to your basket. View basket

Buy Online

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
  • Description
  • Additional information
  • Reviews (0)

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

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Related products

  • Feeling words to explain my emotions

    £12.99
    Add to basket
  • Dogs With Jobs

    £7.99
    Add to basket
  • The Takeover

    £7.99
    Add to basket
Recently Viewed Products
  • The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing £14.99
  • The boy with the perpetual nervousness £9.99

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Nov 3



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 18128295500483115


Introducing our monthly Craft Club at House of Books and Friends – a space dedicated to sharing creativity and meeting new people! For December, we will be running a special session with author and craft conniseur, Clare Hooper, author of A Crafty Little Christmas: 50 Ways to Handmake the Perfect Festive Season. 

Clare will be introducing her book, and then leading the group through two crafts from her book, providing all the materials needed to ensure gorgeous creations!

Spaces are limited, so booking is essential for this one - grab your tickets on our website, and we will see you there! 🎨

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Nov 2



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 18115963619519106


You know what time it is - our booksellers' monthly reading wrap up! Check out their October reads and let us know if you've read any! 📚🍂

#bookshop #october #reading

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Nov 2



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 18384279991237054


Our Chatty Cafe Volunteers will be around to chat and tell you more about the Sunday Letter Project. 💌

Pop into the shop, enjoy some free pastries, and enjoy the art of letter writing together as a group!🍪

🎟️Free drop in – no need to book.
📆Monday 9 November.
🕛12pm – 1pm.

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Oct 31



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 17975192064172703


Our booksellers have some spooky recommendations for over Halloween! Happy reading!

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Oct 30



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 18121405054743767


🚨BOOK CLUB NEWS🚨
Thank you to everyone who joined us in reading Greater Sins in October! For November, we will be reading Earth 7 by Deb Olin Unferth. Info and tickets can be found on our website, or you can ask a bookseller in-store to register!

houseofbooksandfriends



View Instagram post by houseofbooksandfriends


Oct 29



Open post by houseofbooksandfriends with ID 18375057901245842


This November, Connection Counts returns to House of Books & Friends. A month-long celebration of the simple, thoughtful ways we connect with others, share stories and find community at the bookshop. 🌟

Drop in, find out about our regular groups, and take part in one of our free connection events!

See the link in our bio for more information! 🔗


Follow on Instagram

You're here, so you must like reading.... our newsletter is akin to a literary classic! We have so many projects, events and plans for House of Books & Friends all of which we will pack in to our newsletter so you can be among the first to find out about all the latest news. Don't worry, we promise not to bombard you!

SUBSCRIBE
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • facebook

Get in Touch

We love to hearing from fellow Bookworms!

Please drop us a message, find out where we are or get directions via our contact page.
Contact Us

 

© House of Books and Friends 2026 / Website designed by Bookswarm

The House of Books and Friends CIC is a community interest company registration number 13909633, the registered office of which is 53 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LQ. Trading Address - 81 King Street, Manchester M2 4AH. what3words ///stars.wished.papers

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy and Cookies
  • My Account
  • Search
  • Basket 4