Current Work In The History Of Medicine

The third edition of this bestselling introduction to medical history has been thoroughly updated to include recent scholarship and new events in major fields of medical endeavor.

In three sections, the Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine celebrates the richness and variety of medical history around the world. It explore medical developments and trends in writing history according to period, place, and theme.

Excerpt from Outlines of the History of Medicine and the Medical Profession The history of medicine, of all the branches of that art, is the one to which least attention is devoted by physicians; and yet its study not only possesses great scientific value, but likewise includes an important germ of practical information. To attain both the objects thus indicated, by bringing to the notice of his colleagues, the practitioners of medicine, the history of their depart ment and their profession, was the original design of the author in the publication of the present work. For those who are interested solely in literary aims his book was not written, and accordingly he has omitted extended bibliographical notices, preferring to refer the reader for these to the larger manuals on this subject. His plan has been to consider first the genetic side of the subject, introducing for this purpose a sketch of even prehistoric medicine, and next to set forth the history of the medical pro fession in considerable detail. In both departments he has striven to present the subject in such a manner as should awaken and maintain the interest of the reader. Whether he has failed in his purpose or fallen behind the aims which he had set before him it is not for him to decide. No man is perfect; neither is any book. But in so weighty an undertaking as the publication of a work on general history the author hopes for that indulgence which may be claimed, indeed, by every man who has done his work honestly. According to the measure of his strength, and who seeks to appear no greater than he really is. Of course. For most of the facts recorded in the present work the author is indebted to others. Still he has everywhere preserved the right of inde pendent examination and judgment as to who, among the often conflicting authorities, seems, on the whole, the most reliable. Many things. However, he has proved by reference to the original authorities, and thus made them, as it were, his own. The conception of the history of medicine as a branch of the general history of civilization, a large portion of the history of the profession and his account of the most ancient and most recent develop ments of medical art, he believes he may also justly claim as original. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from History of Medicine: From Its Origin to the Nineteenth Century, With an Appendix, Containing a Philosophical and Historical Review of Medicine to the Present Time In producing the work of Dr. Renouard in the English language, I have been actuated by the conviction that a treatise of its nature is greatly needed, indeed, if I except brief sketches affixed to some of our special treatises, we possess nothing in our literature that is at all calculated to satisfy the wants of the profession in this respect. The only work on this subject, of any magnitude, by an English author, is that of Dr. Freind, which is a continuation of Le Clere, and comes down only to the beginning of the sixteenth century; besides, it is out of print. Why no history of Medicine commensurate with the dignity and extent of our profession has yet been written in our tongue, I am entirely unable to explain. Other languages arc prolific enough in this respect, particularly the German and the French. To obtain any scholarly attainments on this subject, it has been necessary to read hooks in foreign languages. Knowing, therefore, the wants of the profession, and having been greatly encouraged by medical gentlemen in different portions of the Union, to whom I have communicated my design, I have ventured to offer this translation to fill this vacuum in our medical literature. I have hesitated to enter into this very difficult field of authorship, from a real distrust of my abilities for the task; and now that it is done, many errors are plainly visible. Some are minor ones, and are such as will creep into publications in spite of the utmost care. There are others, more serious, which I would gladly correct, and hope to have an opportunity of doing so at another time. Few of them, however, impair in any great degree the original, and do not, therefore, materially pervert the author's meaning. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A bestselling history of medicine, enriched with a new foreword, concluding essay, and bibliographic essay. Erwin H. Ackerknecht’s A Short History of Medicine is a concise narrative, long appreciated by students in the history of medicine, medical students, historians, and medical professionals as well as all those seeking to understand the history of medicine. Covering the broad sweep of discoveries from parasitic worms to bacilli and x-rays, and highlighting physicians and scientists from Hippocrates and Galen to Pasteur, Koch, and Roentgen, Ackerknecht narrates Western and Eastern civilization’s work at identifying and curing disease. He follows these discoveries from the library to the bedside, hospital, and laboratory, illuminating how basic biological sciences interacted with clinical practice over time. But his story is more than one of laudable scientific and therapeutic achievement. Ackerknecht also points toward the social, ecological, economic, and political conditions that shape the incidence of disease. Improvements in health, Ackerknecht argues, depend on more than laboratory knowledge: they also require that we improve the lives of ordinary men and women by altering social conditions such as poverty and hunger. This revised and expanded edition includes a new foreword and concluding biographical essay by Charles E. Rosenberg, Ackerknecht’s former student and a distinguished historian of medicine. A new bibliographic essay by Lisa Haushofer explores recent scholarship in the history of medicine.

This volume continues the Proceedings of the Calgary History of Medicine Days series which publishes the work of young and emerging researchers in the field, hence providing a unique publishing format. The annual Calgary History of Medicine Days Conference, established in 1991, brings together undergraduate and early graduate students from across Canada, Latin America, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe to give paper and poster presentations on a wide variety of topics from the history of medicine and healthcare from a multiple perspectives. The History of Medicine Days offers an annual platform for discussions and exchanges between participants regarding recent research findings, methodological perspectives, and work-in progress descriptions of ongoing historiographical projects. This book explores such topics as historical medical classics, the history of medicine in Canada, the effects of war on medicine, and historical conceptions of blood and circulation. Furthermore, it includes the paper given by the conferenceâ (TM)s internationally renowned keynote speaker, Dr Thomas Schlich, Professor of History and History of Medicine at McGill University, Quebec. In addition, it gathers together all the abstracts of the conference for documentation purposes, and is well-illustrated with images and diagrams pertaining to the history of medicine.