   | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 11/15/2015 The human body, for all of its amazing traits, is capable of breaking down, and this informative book covers both historical and modern innovations that help repair and strengthen it. Newquist splits it into three sections, “Body Parts,” “The Medicine Cabinet,” and “Tools and Treatments,” which are each divided into short, focused chapters. The scope of the topics is broad—Newquist profiles plenty of historical treatments and inventions that, thankfully, are no longer in use, such as an artificial heart pump made out of an Erector set or dentures composed of “cadaverous teeth.” Although modern treatments are also mentioned, they’re less comprehensive: for example, Newquist addresses 3-D printed organs and bionic prosthetics but not the increasingly prevalent use of robots in surgery. That quibble aside, the open page design and ample full-color photos and historical diagrams will easily draw in middle-grade readers, especially those looking for a more macabre look at history and science. A list of resources, including abundant websites, closes out this handsome volume. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
 |