He has written in the past about his medical specialty, including the acclaimed Transplant: From Myth to Reality. In this latest work, he focuses on the broader spectrum of surgical revolutions that have shaped his specialty. He covers, in thorough, yet accessible style, a range of topics: pharmaceutical advances in anesthesia and anti-infective agents; the creation of teaching hospitals and recognition of surgery as a distinct specialty; the influence of trench warfare on surgical techniques; the evolution of organ transplantation; and current conditions in surgical training. Dr. Tilney's final chapters discuss issues in modern medicine that will continue to affect both those who practice surgery and those who undergo it.