A Chinese emperor gambles on a glittering elixir promising eternal life, while a fearless Renaissance anatomist challenges ancient medical doctrine. As the black death spreads across continents, desperate physicians search for answers in a race against unimaginable devastation.

Toxic medieval paranoia sparks the use of a lurid stone; in ancient Egypt, a fascination with a shocking creature leads to curious treatments; and in ancient Chinese burials, traces of cannabis are found.

Egyptian mummies are looted to fill the shelves of European dispensaries; a community in the Alps defies science with a toxic supplement; and in an ancient Mayan kingdom, remnants of a sweat bath provide clues to early maternal health.