An eminently readable, entertaining romp through the history of our vain and valiant efforts to heal ourselves. Mankind's battle to stay alive and healthy for as long as possible is our oldest, most universal struggle. With his characteristic wit and vastly informed historical scope, Roy Porter examines the war fought between disease and doctors on the battleground of the flesh from ancient times to the present. He explores the many ingenious ways in which we have attempted to overcome disease through the ages: the changing role of doctors, from ancient healers, apothecaries, and blood-letters to today's professionals; the array of drugs, from Ayurvedic remedies to the launch of Viagra; the advances in surgery, from amputations performed by barbers without anesthetic to today's sophisticated transplants; and the transformation of hospitals from Christian places of convalescence to modern medical powerhouses. Cleverly illustrated with historic line drawings, the chronic ailments of humanity provide vivid anecdotes for Porter's enlightening story of medicine's efforts to prevail over a formidable and ever-changing adversary.

罗伊•波特（Roy Porter，1946—2002），国际知名的英国学者，英国社会科学院院士，英国皇家内科学院和英国皇家精神科学院的名誉院士。2001年自伦敦大学学院惠康医学史研究所退休，退休后不满九个月就因心脏病发去世，学界同声惋惜。

倾其一生投入研究、写作与教学，在英国社会史、科学史、医学史等领域都有精彩专著，撰写与编辑的书超过百部，尤以医学史领域的作品最为著名，其最具野心的作品当属出版于1997年的《人类医学史》（The Greatest Benefit to Mankind）。

王道还，中国台北市出生，生物人类学者，译作包括《第三种黑猩猩》、《盲眼钟表匠》等。