The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth audiobook cover - And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth

And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine

Thomas Morris

★ 3.7 / 5(85 ratings)
Start ListeningDownloadQR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App StoreTry free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds
Categories:
HistoryScience

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth

Mind Map

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth
Evolution of Medicine+
Baffling Diagnoses+
Foreign Objects+
Dangerous Cures+
Risky Surgery+
Astonishing Resilience+
Medical Tall Tales+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
According to the book, what is the modern medical consensus regarding the historical accounts of 'exploding teeth'?
  • A. They were caused by a chemical reaction between early filling materials and saliva.
  • B. They were the result of a build-up of static electrical charge in the mouth.
  • C. The condition remains an unsolved mystery with no widely accepted explanation.
  • D. The patients were definitively proven to be exaggerating normal tooth breakages.
Question 2 of 6
Why did American sailor John Cummings swallow 35 pocket knives, which eventually led to his death?
  • A. He was attempting to cure a severe case of iron deficiency based on a doctor's advice.
  • B. He was drunkenly trying to imitate a French performer without understanding how the illusion was done.
  • C. He was participating in a dangerous naval initiation ritual to prove his bravery.
  • D. He suffered from a rare psychological disorder that caused a compulsion to eat metal.
Question 3 of 6
What does the case of Lord Anthony Grey, the Earl of Kent, illustrate about historical medical practices?
  • A. Doctors often employed extreme, unscientific, and absurd methods to treat or revive patients.
  • B. Bloodletting was a highly effective method for reviving patients who had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
  • C. Only the wealthy had access to the most advanced and successful surgical techniques of the time.
  • D. Early doctors strictly followed the Hippocratic Oath to 'do no harm,' refusing to attempt risky procedures.
Question 4 of 6
What was the significant outcome of the highly publicized, fatal operation on Hoo Loo by surgeon Charles Aston Key?
  • A. It led to the immediate discovery and implementation of antiseptic practices in English hospitals.
  • B. It prompted soul-searching in the medical community and helped bring an end to the era of highly risky 'heroic' surgery.
  • C. It proved that elephantiasis could be successfully cured if caught early enough.
  • D. It resulted in a permanent ban on public audiences attending surgical procedures in London.
Question 5 of 6
How did the 19th-century Frenchman, who hammered a four-inch dagger into his own skull, ultimately have the weapon removed?
  • A. It had to be carefully extracted over a period of weeks using a specialized pulley system.
  • B. Two doctors were able to manually pull it out after applying an inflammatory lotion.
  • C. It was drawn out using a local workshop's steam-powered engine.
  • D. The dagger was left in his skull because removing it was deemed too dangerous.
Question 6 of 6
What lesson does the text draw from renowned doctor William Harvey's belief that a man named Thomas Parr lived to be 152 years old?
  • A. Historical records of human longevity were much more accurate than modern historians initially believed.
  • B. Even the most intelligent and scientifically minded doctors of the past could be deceived by anecdotes and tall tales.
  • C. The circulatory system of people in the 17th century was fundamentally different, allowing for extreme lifespans.
  • D. Medical journals strictly verified all their claims, making instances of fake medicine extremely rare.

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth — Full Chapter Overview

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth Summary & Overview

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth (2018) charts some of the most interesting and unpredictable events in the emergence of modern medicine. From tragic operations to bizarre cures, these blinks explore a history of medicine that most doctors would prefer to ignore.

Who Should Listen to The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth?

  • Medical workers interested in the hidden history of medicine
  • Science buffs keen to discover some of history’s wackiest medical theories
  • History nerds interested in a fascinating historical niche

About the Author: Thomas Morris

Thomas Morris is a London-based medical historian and writer. His first book The Matter of the Heart (2017) recounted the history of heart surgery and was awarded a Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award. 

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App