This handbook covers the technical, social and cultural history of surgery. It reflects the state of the art and suggests directions for future research. It discusses what is different and specific about the history of surgery - a manual activity with a direct impact on the patient's body. The individual entries in the handbook function as starting points for anyone who wants to obtain up-to-date information about an area in the history of surgery for purposes of research or for general orientation. Written by 26 experts from 6 countries, the chapters discuss the essential topics of the field (such as anaesthesia, wound infection, instruments, specialization), specific domains areas (for example, cancer surgery, transplants, animals, war), but also innovative themes (women, popular culture, nursing, clinical trials) and make connections to other areas of historical research (such as the history of emotions, art, architecture, colonial history). 

Chapters 16 and 18 of this book are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

"Surgery is approached as a specialized knowledge, as a technology, and as a social fact. ? it will be used by a wide range of readers, from surgeons to historians of the hospital ? . Chapters are divided in subsections identified by clear titles and the text includes references to notes (all grouped at the end of the chapters) together with a list of readings for further explorations. A substantial index ends the book." (Alain Touwaide, Doody's Book Reviews, October, 2018)

"The essays range from antiquity to today's bariatric, cosmetic and minimal access surgery, and are widely researched, clearly written and authoritative, backed up by extensive bibliographies. This is an important contribution to the subject of surgical history. It is not light reading, but it will be a valuable source book to anyone wishing to research in depth into any of its specialist topics." (Harold Ellis, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, Vol. 79 (3), March, 2018)