Great Discoveries in Medicine provides an unrivalled account of the evolution of medical knowledge and practice from ancient Egypt, India and China to today's latest technology, from letting blood to keyhole surgery, from the theory of humours to the genetic revolution. In this inspiring compendium an international team of distinguished experts explains medicine's turning points and conceptual changes in a refreshingly accessible way and answers some key questions. The book is magnificently illustrated throughout with a unique array of pictures, from Islamic manuscripts and Renaissance anatomical drawings to the very latest computer-generated images of viruses and photographs revealing the hidden world within our bodies. This timely volume is the best guide ever published to medicine's achievements and its prospects for the 21st century.