The nineteenth century saw a complete transformation of the practice & reputation of surgery Crucial Interventions follows its increasingly optimistic evolution drawing from the very best examples of rare surgical textbooks with a focus on the extraordinary visual materials of the mid-nineteenth century Unnerving & graphic yet beautifully rendered these fascinating illustrations include step-by-step surgical techniques paired with medical instruments & painted depictions of operations in progress Arranged for the layman from head to toe & accompanied by an authoritative eloquent & inspiring narrative from medical historian Richard Barnett author of 2014 bestseller The Sick Rose Crucial Interventions is a unique & captivating book on one of the world's most mysterious & macabre professions & promises to be another success