This is one of those perfect books to fill your mind with little trivia facts to bring up at parties. The origins of "modern" medicine are quite surprising... amazingly so. Check this one out from your local library and give it a look-through. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. As a medical professional (RN) I was mostly exposed to traditional medicine. I never realized so many things came from such different roots. Hydrotherapy turned into aquatic therapy for many health problems. Some medications are based on herbal sources. I even learned more about alternative medical practices in use today. I personally have gained some pain relief from cupping, which is based in Eastern medicine.
I highly recommend this book to people who want to learn more about the ways today's medical practices came about, and how things were done in past decades. ( )

I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.

Marketplace of the Marvelous promises to reveal the "strange origins of modern medicine" and does touch on many of the "irregular" medicinal practices of the 18th and 19th centuries-especially in the United States. Phrenology, mesmerism, hydropathy and osteopathy are some of the topics broached by Janik in her monograph. She sketches basic contextual information to describe the appeal of each practice during it's heyday, allowing the reader to empathize with practitioners and patients instead of ridiculing them for holding what might now seem ridiculous notions. Janik has an impressive end note/bibliography to encourage further reading on any and all topics she touches upon in her book, as well as an extensive index for referencing specific topics/people within Marketplace of the Marvelous. As a starting point for readers interested in medical history, this is an enjoyable offering with a wide range of topics and an engaging writing style. I would (and have) recommend for those who haven't yet done any reading on health/medical history and want an approachable book to start with. ( )

I was very interested in what the tone of Marketplace of the Marvelous: The Strange Origins of Modern Medicine by Erika Janik would be. As one who has studied and practiced several forms of alternative medicine over the years, I hoped that the intention of this book was not to attempt to debunk anything but modern Western medicine. I was pleasantly surprised.

Samuel Hahnemann and his personal investment in the study of homeopathic remedies was of particular interest. Hahnemann's belief in his remedies extended to the point of testing them on himself, family and friends. Each was asked to keep copious notes on their reactions to extreme dilution of substances that would themselves cause reactions in the body similar to those symptoms caused by the illness. The study of this like cures like can simplistically be called the origen of homeopathy. Today we can fin a compilation of these remedies in the Homeopathic Materia Medica. Having used many of these remedies on myself and y family and pets, I was glad to see that this was not dismissed out of hand.

The practice of Osteopathy, and Chiropractic as well as judicious use of Hypnotism are also given a fair look, with the history of each being presented fairly and practically. I found this to be an interesting and thought provoking read.

To be honest with you, I don't think that medicine today, despite all of the science and promises behind it is any more proven than even some of the kookier attempts at cures that are presented here in this book. How often does the FDA approve a drug and sing its praises, only later to finding that it causes worse problems than those it is considered to cure. ( )

Based on the book’s subtitle, I expected Marketplace of the Marvelous to debunk various forms of alternative medicine, due to their unscientific origins. While Janik does not make a case for alternative therapies, she does not necessarily discredit them either.

My favorite aspect of the book is the historical and social context of how the treatments became popular – which, at times, gives insight to the continued popularity of some of the treatments today. I enjoyed the details of the patients’ experiences with the various treatments.

I also enjoyed the author’s informative and appealing style. Overall, I recommend the book to those who enjoy health and science history. ( )