A gripping tale of one of history's most bizarre events, and what it reveals about the strange possibilities of human natureIn the searing July heat of 1518, Frau Troffea stepped into the streets of Strasbourg and began to dance. Bathed in sweat, she continued to dance. Overcome with exhaustion, she stopped, and then resumed her solitary jig a few hours later. Over the next two months, roughly four hundred people succumbed to the same agonizing compulsion. At its peak, the...

20 incredible years that revolutionised our understanding of disease. Breathtakingly rapid, the discovery that germs cause disease was both revolutionary and rich in human drama. John Waller describes the scientific virtuosity, outstanding intellectual courage and bitter personal rivalries that gave birth to this exceptional sea-change in scientific thinking.

The great biologist Louis Pasteur suppressed 'awkward' data because it didn't support the case he was making. John Snow, the 'first epidemiologist' was doing nothing others had not done before. Gregor Mendel, the supposed 'founder of genetics' never grasped the fundamental principles of 'Mendelian' genetics. Joseph Lister's famously clean hospital wards were actually notorious dirty. And Einstein's general relativity was only 'confirmed' in 1919 because an eminent British scientist cooked ...

The concept of heredity is fundamental to how we see ourselves and others. It goes far beyond the obvious continuity of physical traits across generations. We routinely ascribe similarities in personality, intellect, outlook, and aptitude between family members to what's passed down in sperm and eggs. The simple idea that children take after their ancestors has long been central to science and medicine and to the breeding of plants and animals. It has also been used for ideological purpose...

The enjoyment of comfortable and undisturbed sleep, is certainly to be ranked amongst the greatest blessings which heaven has bestowed on mankind; and it may be considered as one of the best criterions of a person enjoying perfect health. On the contrary, any disturbance which occurs in the enjoyment of this invaluable blessing, may be considered a decisive proof of some derangement existing in the animal economy, and a consequent deviation from the standard of health. Indeed it is astonis...

A Treatise on the Incubus, or Night-Mare, Disturbed Sleep, Terrific Dreams and Nocturnal VisionsThere must however be some reason for the universal opinion that it always attacks persons lying on the back. I was for a long time of opinion myself, that I was always lying in that position when the paroxysm came on, but as the disease gained strength, and the paroxysms hung more pertinaciously upon me, I became more perfectly awake, so as to be able to discover more a...

General practitioners are moving into a more central and accountable role in managing NHS resources. To achieve this they need to monitor, understand and plan the everyday services they offer. This book shows the reader how. It provides insights and practical suggestions on how demand can be met effectively and efficiently. It shows how to improve service provision and guidance is given on how to reduce the stressful working conditions of GPs, nurses and other practice staff. Illustrated w...

Even during the world’s midnight, when the dark cloud of papal superstition was spread in blackness over the moral sky of the civilized nations, here and there a star was seen, bright, beautiful and peculiar, pouring celestial splendor upon the surrounding gloom. When Popery was the world’s despot-when, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, the Man of Sin had ascended to the throne of universal dominion—when Rome, under the Pontiff’s more than under the Caesars, was the mistress of t...

This book provides a comprehensive description of what being sick and receiving "medical care" was like in 19th-century America, allowing modern readers to truly appreciate the scale of the improvements in healthcare theory and practice.Health and Wellness in 19th-Century America covers a period of dramatic change in the United States by examining our changing understanding of the nature of the disease burden, the increasing size of the nation, and our con...

"A Treatise on the Incubus, or Night-Mare, Disturbed Sleep, Terrific Dreams and Nocturnal Visions" by John Augustine Waller delves into the phenomena of sleep disturbances and the psychological implications of nightmares. Waller explores the historical context of the incubus myth, examining how cultural beliefs shaped the understanding of sleep paralysis and terrifying dreams. His work combines medical insights with philosophical reflections, offering a comprehensive view of how these noct...

In "A Treatise on the Incubus, or Night-Mare, Disturbed Sleep, Terrific Dreams and Nocturnal Visions," John Augustine Waller delves into the intricate tapestry of sleep disturbances and nocturnal phenomena that have tantalized the human psyche through the ages. His literary style is a rich blend of empirical observation and poetic intrigue, reminiscent of the Romantic era's fascination with the subconscious. Waller meticulously categorizes various sleep disorders, including the incubus phe...

In "A Treatise on the Incubus, or Night-Mare, Disturbed Sleep, Terrific Dreams and Nocturnal Visions," John Augustine Waller navigates the intricate landscape of nocturnal disturbances through a rigorous blend of empirical observation and philosophical inquiry. Waller's exploration is situated within the 19th-century discourse on psychology and superstition, addressing the physiological and psychological dimensions of sleep phenomena, such as sleep paralysis and terrifying dreams. His lite...