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Ten Drugs
Ten Drugs: How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have Shaped the History of Medicine | Thomas Hager
9 posts | 7 read | 15 to read
Behind every landmark drug is a story. It could be an oddball researchers genius insight, a catalyzing moment in geopolitical history, a new breakthrough technology, or an unexpected but welcome side effect discovered during clinical trials. Piece together these stories, as Thomas Hager does in this remarkable, century-spanning history, and you can trace the evolution of our culture and the practice of medicine. Beginning with opium, the joy plant, which has been used for 10,000 years, Hager tells a captivating story of medicine. His subjects include the largely forgotten female pioneer who introduced smallpox inoculation to Britain, the infamous knockout drops, the first antibiotic, which saved countless lives, the first antipsychotic, which helped empty public mental hospitals, Viagra, statins, and the new frontier of monoclonal antibodies. This is a deep, wide-ranging, and wildly entertaining book.
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stevesbookstuf1
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Pickpick

My favorite nonfiction book so far this year! This is popular science writing done really well. Enjoyable, informative and almost compulsively readable. Hager gives a broad overview of the history of drug discovery and development without a lot of jargon.

And to think I picked this one up on a whim! Really can't say enough positive about it...

If interested my full review is here: https://tinyurl.com/c6mrecam

tokorowilliamwallace Have you read the tagged book? It's one of my rarely given five stars, though I listened by audiobook. 3y
stevesbookstuf1 That looks really interesting. I'll have you check it out, thanks! 3y
7 likes2 comments
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cant_i'm_booked
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Pickpick

A really interesting account of the ten or so drugs that have changed humanity, for better or for worse. Also a good summary of the “medicalization” of health: science‘s answer to heighten public health/quality of life and minimize pain/disease or a lucrative way for drug companies to design a pill for every “quirk” or “mood swing” an individual experiences?

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WildQuibble
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Just finished this and enjoyed it. Bit of an overview, but that was what it said on the tin so I‘m not complaining. I‘m glad he mentioned contributions that have been glossed over in other books (usually bc women or poc did the actual thing). This covers the six of hearts, ‘A Book About Medicine‘, for my #tbrdeckofcards challenge.

@Clwojick #20in4

Clwojick Way to go! ❤️ 4y
8 likes2 comments
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Kell1
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Pickpick

This is so far one of the most entertaining and interesting audiobooks I have listened this year. The book describes the origins of the most important drugs in history. The book is filled with interesting stories, and facts, most notably for me are the origins of inoculation, the discovery and early use of opium, the refinement of opium and subsequent creation of opioids and opiates. Also interesting is the description of big pharma. Reccomended!!

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Megabooks
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My September #BookspinBingo card and first finished book, started last night.

An interesting look at 10 drugs that changed history. Did you know vaccination has roots in moms from the Ottoman Empire? From sulfa to the Pill to new monoclonal antibodies (like Humira), this follows the stories of drugs that have changed daily life for people. His research on statins was noteworthy, and I have declined them for the same reasons as the author. 4⭐️🎧

TheAromaofBooks Sounds interesting - and great work checking a book off already!!! 4y
Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks thanks!! Now I‘m reading my doublespin that has to do with the history of bacteria and antibiotics. 😂😂 #nerd 4y
Kell1 Enjoying this audiobook this week. So far so good. 4y
Megabooks @Kell1 I‘ve listened twice and enjoyed it both times! 4y
85 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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ONH
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Best thing about quarantine is that you can do it from a remote island AND you can finish tons of books 😋 Really enjoying this dive into medical history and pharmacology 💊 Well written and easy to understand while also explaining the science succinctly, clearly, and correctly 👍🏻

There is a lot of emphasis on opiates and opioids, but I suppose that‘s understandable given their global impact.

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Megabooks
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I loved this mixture of pop science and history! It‘s today‘s #audible #dailydeal in the US, and if you like either of these, I highly recommend the book!! #audiobook

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This was a fascinating look at ten drugs (or categories) that shaped history. He focused on the scientific discoveries in a fun pop history way. Very enjoyable for me as a vet, but I think people not in medicine would enjoy it as much or more. He went from poppy use in pre-history to monoclonal antibodies today. 4⭐️ #audiobook #audible

Sorry I haven‘t been around much. 🏀🏀🏀 has been a priority this weekend! 🔵😈 #sweet16

Crazeedi This looks good! 6y
Megabooks @Crazeedi It is! Really enjoyable book. 👍🏻 6y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa This looks really interesting! Stacked!! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa And hey, enjoy March Madness, it only comes once a year.... you have the rest of the year to read. 6y
Megabooks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I hope you enjoy it! Yes, I‘m super excited for this basketball weekend, too. 🏀🏀 😁🔵😈 6y
98 likes9 stack adds6 comments
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Megabooks
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Anyone else have this problem? 🤣🤣🤷🏻‍♀️ Easy come, easy go! #audiobooks #audible