Since antiquity, war surgery has been a profession demanding a
special kind of human: one able to face seemingly insurmountable problems; one
able to keep a lucid mind and steady hands in extraordinary circumstances; one
able to shoulder tremendous burdens; and one able to harden themselves, time and
again, to failure and self-doubt. It is, and always has been, a harrowing
business, and only for the brave.
Dr John Wright
charts the evolution of war surgery from ancient times to the present day,
investigating its breakthroughs, its pitfalls, and the people and conflicts that
have shaped it. But above all, this is a personal history, calling on the
first-hand accounts of the surgeons, soldiers, medics, nurses, stretcher-bearers
and many others who have served in battle and come face-to-face with its most
appalling horrors. This is not a book for the faint-hearted, it is one that
searches for and delivers the truth about those who, with unerring skill,
courage and determination, endeavour to undo the terrible damage we habitually
inflict upon ourselves.
The book is illustrated with 150 often graphic images of war surgery
up to the Twenty-first Century.
