Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
Written by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
Narrated by Erik Singer
4/5
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About this audiobook
A mesmerizing biography of the brilliant and eccentric medical innovator who revolutionized American surgery and founded the country's most famous museum of medical oddities
Imagine undergoing an operation without anesthesia performed by a surgeon who refuses to sterilize his tools-or even wash his hands. This was the world of medicine when Thomas Dent Mütter began his trailblazing career as a plastic surgeon in Philadelphia during the middle of the nineteenth century.
Although he died at just forty-eight, Mütter was an audacious medical innovator who pioneered the use of ether as anesthesia, the sterilization of surgical tools, and a compassion-based vision for helping the severely deformed, which clashed spectacularly with the sentiments of his time.
Brilliant, outspoken, and brazenly handsome, Mütter was flamboyant in every aspect of his life. He wore pink silk suits to perform surgery, added an umlaut to his last name just because he could, and amassed an immense collection of medical oddities that would later form the basis of Philadelphia's Mütter Museum.
Award-winning writer Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz vividly chronicles how Mütter's efforts helped establish Philadelphia as a global mecca for medical innovation-despite intense resistance from his numerous rivals. (Foremost among them: Charles D. Meigs, an influential obstetrician who loathed Mütter's "overly" modern medical opinions.) In the narrative spirit of The Devil in the White City, Dr. Mütter's Marvels interweaves an eye-opening portrait of nineteenth-century medicine with the riveting biography of a man once described as the "P. T. Barnum of the surgery room."
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Reviews for Dr. Mutter's Marvels
34 ratings46 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved this biography of Dr. Mutter and his medical discoveries, mainly in the surgical aspect of medicine. Prior to this, I had only known of the museum that the College of Physicians of Philadelphia opened when bequeathed Mutter's specimens prior to his death. He was actually a very compassionate doctor, championing the use of anesthetics when others in his college were against them and actively campaigned against them. He did facial reconstruction in those who would be forgotten or maligned without the surgery, doing his best to lower the risk and make the surgery easier to endure. Unfortunately, he died young and left much of what he considered his life's work unfulfilled.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5One of those books that almost seems to be more tangent than narrative - and I was really surprised at how little the author focuses on the medical oddities collected by Mütter and more on a somewhat conventional biography (which is perfectly interesting, to be sure).
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It was so interesting. Cristin Aptowicz visited Dr. Mutter's museum in Philadelphia and was inspired to write about his fascinating life. He was a pioneer of plastic surgery in the early 1800s, back when people were born malformed or damaged due to injury and lived miserable lives, wishing for death. Dr. Mutter pioneered techniques that are still being used today and was an excellent professor, according to his students. Unfortunately, he died fairly young, but he left behind an extensive collection of medical artifacts. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, since medical books have never really been my thing, but it was really good.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fascinating history of American medicine.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book traces the evolution of modern Western medicine through chronicling the brief but bright medical career of Thomas Mutter. Mutter brought new techniques from Europe to American, Philadelphia in particular in the early 19th century. He introduced not only revolutionary surgical practices but was at the forefront of aseptic practices, modern classroom lectures, germ theory, pre-and post-op care, etc. The book reads almost like a work of fiction which speaks to the ease with which the author presents medical/scientific material but also to the sensational medical practices of the time. The personages are presented in ways that make them all seem real and paints a very lively picture. The book is accessible to readers with no medical knowledge. Fascinating for fans of history, medical history, biographies, or just highly readable works. A well done book which could appeal to a wide audience.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A well written and interesting account of the state of medicine in mid 19th century Philadelphia told through the experiences of physician and lecturer Thomas Mutter. The author's style is accessible to readers with no medical background - informative without unnecessary detail or jargon. Particular emphasis is placed upon the developments of surgery during this period, including issues such as the development of anesthesia and understanding of germ theory. The book is a fascinating reminder of what great strides in medicine have been made in the last 150 years,A recommended read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I received Dr. Mutter's Marvels as part of the Early Reviewers Program.Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz spent a lot of time and effort researching this early American surgeon; it shows in the carefully constructed writing, the prolific end notes, and the easy flow of narrative. This is an excellent biography detailing the rather fascinating life of an American surgeon who created his own form of plastic surgery (the Mutter Flap), as well as encouraged the use of anesthesia in surgery, compassion for patients, cleanliness, and the use of "plastic" surgery to help improve the quality of life for "monsters." This is not a topic I have read a great deal about, but Aptowicz makes it utterly enthralling. Mutter led a short, but inspirational life. Aptowicz weaves together personal tidbits (Mutter was a bit of a dandy who indebted himself for stylish clothes and shoes even as a child) with background information on 19th century medicine, his colleagues, and his influence on modern medical procedures. In addition to being thoroughly researched, well written, and entertaining Dr. Mutter's Marvels also includes a wonderful layout including pictures, quotes, and generally appears professional yet engaging.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is a reminder of how far medicine has come since the 1800s . Dr. Mutter was a doctor that actually used common sense when it came to taking care of his patients like insisting on always cleaning his utensils and washing his hands after every patient . He also helped discover anesthesia . This book was great and easy to read . If you're interested in the history of modern medicine then you'll enjoy this book .
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Interesting but the author took on too much. I think she wold have been better off just sticking to Mutter. A fascinating mid-19 century figure in the medical field.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've been to Dr. Mutter's museum and I enjoyed it, so I expected that this book would just be a pleasant biography of an interesting man. I was very surprised, however, when the story turned out to be so much more than that. Collecting weird medical specimens was possibly the least interesting thing about Dr. Mutter. He was involved with all the great minds of the time, and was at the forefront of medical technology. He had an interesting (and sad) childhood, and actually grew up near where I live. He was involved with all the great minds of the mid-1800s, at the forefront of medical technology, and deeply entrenched in medical community politics. He experimented with lots of new medical and educational techniques and focused especially on helping those who were most in need. It is truly a shame that Dr. Mutter is not routinely taught in schools, because reading about him taught me so much more about medicine and the history of the time. The Mutter Museum might be weird and fascinating, but it's the mere shadow of an even more fascinating life that ended too soon. The writing and references in the book are fantastic. Much of the history I had never heard of before. I enjoyed it so much that I promptly bought a hardback copy for myself and a few for some friends, who really loved it as well. I can't recommend this book enough!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fascinating man and interesting story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5really 4.5. Makes the subject come alive, and yes, parts certainly fictionalized due to lack of research material. Read it anyway.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a very readable story of the life of a pioneer in 19th century American medicine. The material is fascinating without getting too technical or bogged down in references, and an extensive bibliography is included. Highly recommended.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A superb biography of a remarkable visionary and a fascinating look at some of the pivotal developments in the history of modern medicine.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is such a well-written book, that a review will be difficult to describe the beauty of the writing, and the way in which the history of Philadelphia, PA became the benchmark for the science of medicine. And, leading the way was Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter.In the early-mid 1800's surgery was barbaric. Before the advent of ether, patients who needed surgery were held down, awake and could feel each painful cut as they were fully aware of each piercing of the knife. A child of means whose parents died, Mutter became a ward of a relative. A self made man, he set out to learn as much as he could regarding the field of medicine. At that time, Paris France was the place to learn. He was enthralled by the beauty of Paris and the incredible resources available. Returning the the United States, he attempted to open a practice. Unsuccessful in his endeavors, he slowly began to become known for his patience, ingenuity and brilliant intellect. Becoming a part of the Jefferson Medical college, he thrived in his expertise in a relatively small field of plastic surgery. He was drawn to worse-case scenarios, and soon people who were grossly deformed came to him pleading for a "normal" life. Called "monsters", they were willing to undergo radical transformations while Mutter deftly cut away layers of scar tissue, replacing the area with what became known as the Mutter flap. He was the first to realize that grafting skin from the patient would yield the best outcome. Historically, he practiced at a time when death was, as the author notes, an "easy place to die." Yellow Fever, TB, and scarlet fever were rampant. As the two existing hospitals vied for prestige, The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine became the first and only medical school in the 13 American colonies now had competition of Jefferson Medical college. And, it was Thomas Mutter who was one of the shining stars that certainly assisted Jefferson to pave the way to new and improved modes of surgery and teaching. At the end of his life, his legacy was astounding. He was respected by his peers and well loved by all pupils. He was the master of plastic surgery and helped hundreds to live a better life, free of the emotional and physical pain of severe deformities. He insisted on cleanliness in the operating room at a time time others did not connect the fact that lack of clean surgical areas lead to deaths. Personable and caring, he was one of the few doctors who insisted on knowing his patients before surgery, treating them with respect while explaining in detail what the patient would undergo in order to be free of their affliction. He was the first to realize that a surgical patient needed to stay in a hospital setting to be closely monitored after surgery. Thus, he assisted in the need for Jefferson to build a facility to accommodate patients after surgery. He was the first in Philadelphia's hospitals to perform surgery with ether. Instilling his knowledge to thousands of pupils during his tenure, his legacy lived on through many notable surgeons. Sadly, he died at the early age of 47. His last mandate was to ensure that his vast collection of specimens, wax moldings of the deformed, and a large volume of written text be housed in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. This is a fascinating book, filled with descriptions of early medicine and the advancements made at the hand of a few, with Mutter leading the way to a safer, kinder and more successful surgical mode of operation.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If I could give this more stars I would - such an enjoyable listen. The content was good, the audiobook narrator was good. So intriguing to learn about Mutter and his contributions to medicine. I've seen some reviews knocking this book for lack of content... I can kinda agree that maybe this could have been more thorough, but I don't recall it being written as a PhD thesis or any other exhaustive work. For a contemporary mixed audience - anyone who is interested in the progress of medicine during the early-mid 1800s, and Mutter's contributions, this is a fun and delightful book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.5 His parents cherished him as a young boy but he would lose his whole family to illness. Despite this, he would become a fantastic surgeon and although dying early, he would leave a lasting legacy.Wonderfully told, entertainingly written, the is a story of a man ahead of his time. He believed in cleanliness of supplies, room and person, at a time when doctors would routine pass germs from one person to the next. He would discover the use of ether as a pain reliever, at. Time when surgery was performed giving the patient only wine. In fact hospitals kept use supplies of wine for just this person. He became entranced with medical oddities, wanted to fix these for people and help them have better lives. But it was the empathy he ha for his patients that impressed me the most.A look at the medical schools and doctor's training in the 1800's. Once again so glad I live now and not then, though I think a few doctors could still learn empathy from Dr. Mutter.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a fascinating story about the birth of modern medicine, centered around the career of Dr. Thomas Mutter, who pioneered surgical techniques still used today, while also helping to revolutionize how doctors were trained. Mostly, he is known today by the museum in Philadelphia that bears his name and is full of the most gruesome of medical oddities. Ms. Aptowicz has rescued him, I hope, from only being known for that. It is, however, as much a book about that era in medicine as it is about Dr. Mutter. While his medical accomplishments are well known, his private life is missing from this book. Despite being married to the same woman for most of his life, we never learn anything significant about her or about their life together. Or why they didn't have any children. Still, this is a mostly fascinating read and introduces us to some memorable characters, mostly the doctors who oppose Mutter's new-fangled ideas (such as using an anesthetic during an amputation!) The author goes a little off track from time to time, and there is no single narrative thread or mystery to be solved that makes this as compelling a read as some of the accounts of past events in the books of other authors (e.g., Erik Larson). But I'm very happy I read the book--though still not quite ready for some of the items in Dr. Mutter's Museum.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A quite interesting book, but I wouldn't necessarily market it as a biography, since the author skimps a bit on the biographical details of Mutter's adult life. The book focuses mostly on his teaching and surgical innovations as a doctor in Philadelphia, and I would have been interested in more information in how Mutter collected his "marvels" and similar details.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very well written, though this could have used an editor; there was a bit of repetition that would have been caught by a careful eye.The title is misleading. This is not at all about Mutter's curious collection but rather the story of his career and discussion about his considerable influence on medicine today.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great historical lesson about a great person we were all blessed to have on this earth. Thank you for writing this book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved this biography of Dr. Mutter and his medical discoveries, mainly in the surgical aspect of medicine. Prior to this, I had only known of the museum that the College of Physicians of Philadelphia opened when bequeathed Mutter's specimens prior to his death. He was actually a very compassionate doctor, championing the use of anesthetics when others in his college were against them and actively campaigned against them. He did facial reconstruction in those who would be forgotten or maligned without the surgery, doing his best to lower the risk and make the surgery easier to endure. Unfortunately, he died young and left much of what he considered his life's work unfulfilled.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I can't say enough about this book! I received an Advance Reader Copy through LibraryThing and started reading the same day. The author was able to draw me in and keep me intensely focused for the entire length of the book! There is a wealth of information within the pages that for me, was jaw dropping! From Thomas Mutter's childhood to his death you will be taken on a vivid journey through the world of 19th century medicine and a man who's influence is still felt today.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In Dr. Mutter's Marvels author Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz details the life of Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter, the namesake of the famous Philadelphia Mutter Museum. Having visited the museum, I was excited to learn more about a man whose collection was the beginning of such a strangely fascinating museum. The museum details many interesting and unique medical conditions, sometimes bordering on the grotesque.Aptowicz's biography is a solid one, painting a clear picture of an innovative surgeon who made it his life mission to help those deemed "monsters," and to teach compassion to a new generation of doctors. In an era where knowledge of infectious disease was sparse and surgeries were often performed under extreme circumstances, Mutter pushed for better hygiene amongst surgeons as well as promoted techniques such as ether in order to ease a patient's suffering. He also strove to make his students realize that their patients were humans, not just cases on the operating table. These patients deserved respect, compassion, and the awareness of what was about to happen.The biography was easy to read, though in my opinion a bit jumbled. I hope that is possibly just the fault of the early reviewer copy I received, but it made some of the content appear out of place or misplaced in the time frame. For example, Aptowicz in one chapter discusses some of the famous students Mutter taught. I think it would flow better if these students had been introduced throughout the book rather than one long chapter listing their various accomplishments. Also a bit disjointed was the depiction of Charles Meigs, the man the author uses as a foil against Mutter. We as readers are suppose to see how forward Mutter was in his thoughts when compared against Meigs, a fellow professor and doctor. While I get the purpose of the comparison, I feel like it was somewhat unnecessary. Mutter's genius is capable of standing on its own and doesn't need the foil of Meigs to showcase it.That said, the book is worth a look if you are curious about the man behind the museum or about the history of medicine. I give it a solid three stars and would recommend it to a select group of people.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A good read, a fascinating look at medicine as practiced in the early to mid 1800's, particularly surgery. The author did a good job fleshing out the character of Dr. Mutter. All in all well worth my time spent reading it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5At first I was drawn in to this book, but once I put it down, I discovered I wasn't actually that desperate to pick it up again. Despite the acclaimed achievements of the central figure or Dr. Mutter, I wasn't really engaged with him as a person, it all seemed a little superficial. The promised "rivalry" between Mutter and Dr. Meigs didn't seem to amount to much either. It certainly wasn't the Mozart/Salieri type relationship I'd been expecting. The book design of short chapters, and the constant use of foreshadowing in the narrative also gave it a disjointed feel that prevented me from really getting involved in the tale being told.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fascinating biography of Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter, a plastic surgeon in the first half of the 19th century, when plastic surgery was in its infancy. Mutter was a proponent of ether, sterilized tools, and overall cleanliness in a time when the more blood a physician had on his coat, the better he was thought of. He cared about his patients, many of whom had been deformed for years from burns or birth defects. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. Well-written, easy to read, and extremely interesting story of a medical pioneer who gets very little press outside of his museum of oddities and specimens in Philadelphia (which is worth the trip to see).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is an excellent book! It's a biography of Dr. Thomas D. Mutter, a mini biography of numerous of his colleagues at Jefferson Medical School, and a history of medical science from about 1830 to 1855. It's engagingly written with lots of pictures. I normally read in the early morning but with this book I kept picking it back up with each opportunity throughout the day.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I knew nothing of Mütter aside from his famous museum, which is only an hour and change from where I live, but somehow have never visited. I always assumed just a collector of curiosities, but turns out he was a very skilled surgeon dedicated to improving the lives of so called "monster." This book is part Philadelphia history book, part medical history and all interesting biography. A really wonderful read!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter was born in 1811 and died forty-eight years later. A foreshortened life, to be sure, but the imprint and impact he left on medical history still resounds today. In Mutter's day, there was no anesthesia or sterilization of hands or medical equipment. There was also very little compassion for the patient. Procedures were done in a coldly, efficient manner and lastly, people with severe disfigurements “monsters”, as they were referred to then, were to live out there lives in shame and isolation. Mutter changed all of these things, shaping the medical community in compassionate directions and leading it into the modern era of medicine.I knew nothing of Mutter, before reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed this excellent biography on a fascinating American physician. The writing is smart and swift. A perfect example of narrative nonfiction.