Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids by Verwaal, Ruben
Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids by Verwaal, Ruben

Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids

Our ancestors didn't just take the piss. They used it too.The human body leaks. It oozes. It...
$29.98 USD
$29.98 USD
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Author: Ruben Verwaal
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Subtotal: $29.98
Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids by Verwaal, Ruben

Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids

$29.98
Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids by Verwaal, Ruben

Blood, Sweat and Tears: A History of Bodily Fluids

$29.98
Author: Ruben Verwaal
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Description
Our ancestors didn't just take the piss. They used it too.

The human body leaks. It oozes. It sweats and spits. It bursts, it bleeds and it squirts. Over the history of humanity, our bodies have evolved into sophisticated vessels for survival, leaving a long trail of fluids in our wake.


Whether we're coughing it up or swallowing it down, our bodily fluids are essential to our life and health. Yet, in the past couple of centuries, we have developed a difficult relationship with these fluids: today we find pus, poo and vomit unhygienic and even repellent. But this has not always been the case.


In Blood, Sweat and Tears, Ruben Verwaal embarks on a deep dive into the story of our bodily fluids, the changing perceptions around them and the practical uses that have trickled down through the generations. Whether it's bile or breastmilk, semen or snot, Verwaal examines how each one of our bodily fluids is dripping with symbolism, mythology and its own rich cultural history.


So the next time you have a runny nose, waxy ears, or sweat through your clothes, remember it wasn't always as gross as you think.



Author: Ruben Verwaal
Publisher: August Books
Published: 09/01/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.10w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9798217253333

About the Author
Ruben Verwaal (Author)
Ruben E. Verwaal is NWO Rubicon Research Fellow at the Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham University, and curator of the medical collections at the Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam. He specialises in history of early modern science and medicine, material culture, and critical medical humanities.
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