Raising The Dead

This is the history of the real life science behind the classic story of Frankenstein, looking in depth at the 19th century studies of "galvanism" or reanimation. Stranger than fiction, this book describes the studies of scientists who tried to use theories of animal electricity and magnetic flow to describe biological life, to bring back what had already died, and perhaps even to create new life. Dougan delivers a hair-raising tale of the pursuit of scientific advancement.