One Medicine cover art

One Medicine

How understanding animals can save our lives

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

One Medicine

By: Matt Morgan
Narrated by: Matt Morgan
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £10.76

Buy Now for £10.76

About this listen

 It all started with a Hob Nob. As Dr Matt Morgan, an intensive care consultant, examined a patient who had suffered a cardiac arrest after inhaling some biscuit crumbs, he saw a flock of birds fly past the window. They must inhale objects all the time when flying, how do they survive? he thought to himself. This began an investigation that spanned continents, species and millennia.

For animal science has so much to teach us about human medicine. While some of the overlaps and parallels are obvious – we know how much DNA we share with primates, the first pig heart has been transplanted into a human – there is so much more that we have learnt from the animal world. For example, studying kangaroos, in particular the female’s three vaginas, has improved in-vitro fertilisation success rates. Watching how a giraffe breathes can help save the life of someone struggling with asthma. Investigating why birds that live in the frozen Arctic circle don’t freeze to death led to advances with treating hypothermia. Getting a ECG on the 150kg heart of a humpback whale was instrumental to keeping patients with cardiac failure living longer.

We owe animals so much, it’s time to focus on examining how they live and what we still have to learn from them. Better shared understanding of how our species coexists with millions of others can lead to untold medical advances, help both humans and animals and improve the world for all creatures from single-celled bacteria to a 30,000 kg whale. Who knows, maybe a kiss from a frog will save your life? Animals Biological Sciences Medical Medicine & Health Care Industry Outdoors & Nature Pets & Animal Care Professionals & Academics Science Science & Technology Medicine Heartfelt

Critic reviews

"In humanity's quest to tackle some of our biggest health challenges, the animal kingdom can provide a rich and often surprising source of inspiration. In this dazzling book, full of extraordinary revelations, the reader is transported on an intriguing journey through the natural world and how it is helping to inspire doctors around the world on the frontiers of medicine," (David Cox)
All stars
Most relevant
Having loved Dr Morgan’s first book, I anticipated this to be as good and it did not disappoint. Dr Morgan has a way of weaving stories, and in this book he connects the lives of humans and animals with a fascinating thread. I think I learnt something new from every chapter and will look at my animal companions in a new light from here on. As a nurse, the medical theme of the book obviously interests me, but Dr Morgan explains everything in terms that require no prior medical knowledge, yet without ever making it oversimplified or long winded. I enjoyed the delivery of the book in his welsh lilt and already look forward to the next one, whatever that may be.

Fascinating trip into nature

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Fascinating book. Loved it, don’t stop writing your books are always so insightful and thought provoking.

Another brilliant book by Matt

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.