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 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.

About the author

Ruben Verwaal, translated by Andy Brown

Summary

A fascinating exploration of our perception and use of human bodily fluids throughout history.

Product details

• Authors: Andy Brown, Ruben Verwaal
• Assisted by: Andy Brown (Translation), David Mckay (Translation)
• Publisher: Pan macmillan Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 07.05.2026
• EAN: 9781835983522
• ISBN: 978-1-83598-352-2
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 234 mm x 22 mm
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Non-clinical medicine; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Anatomy, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Disease & Health Issues, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Human Anatomy & Physiology, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, ART / Subjects & Themes / Human Figure, Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography, Popular medicine & health, Human biology, History: plagues, diseases, famines, Popular medicine and health: the human body, HUMOR / Topic / Health & Medicine, Health, illness or addiction: social aspects, Human figures depicted in the arts