Since humans first walked the earth, mankind has battled with nature to stave off sickness and prolong life. But imagine what it was like to be unwell in the days before the development of anaesthesia, antibiotics or microsurgery. Discover which plants and animals were used in early medical practice, and how the anatomical studies of the Middle Ages revolutionized our understanding of the human body. Learn how the terrible Black Death ravaged Europe, and how today\'s sophisticated technology has increased our capacity to cure disease. illustrations