Today we are used to reaching for a painkiller when we get a headache, we take anesthetics and antibiotics for granted, and we would not dream of making our own medicines. But until a century ago that was far from the case, and people had to seek their own remedies or depend on far-from-reliable doctors and apothecaries for everything from an ingrown toenail to amputation. How to Cure the Plague presents a stark reminder of the days...