Maladies & Medicine: Exploring Health & Healing, 1540–1740

By: and

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis
A lively account of medical practices in early modern England: &“Superb . . . an essential piece of social history.&” —Books Monthly It was an era when tooth cavities were thought to be caused by tiny worms and smallpox by an inflammation of the blood, and cures ranged from herbal potions, cooling cordials, blistering the skin, and of course letting blood. Maladies and Medicine tells the story of how the body was understood before the major advances of modern medicine, covering the theory of the four humors and the ways that male and female bodies were conceptualized. It also explains the hierarchy of healers, from university-trained physicians to the women who traveled the country offering cures based on inherited knowledge of homemade remedies, as well as the print explosion of medical health guides, which began to appear in the sixteenth century, from more academic medical textbooks to cheap almanacs. In twenty chapters discussing attitudes toward, and explanations of, some of the most common diseases and medical conditions of the period, the book reveals the ways people understood them and the steps they took to get better. It examines the body from head to toe, from migraines to gout. Case studies and personal anecdotes taken from doctors&’ notes, personal journals, diaries, letters, and even court records show the reactions of individuals to their illnesses and treatments, bringing us into close proximity with people who lived roughly four centuries ago. This richly illustrated study will fascinate those curious about the history of the body and the way our ancestors lived.
Copyright:
2017

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
208 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781473875739
Related ISBNs:
9781473875715
Publisher:
Pen & Sword Books
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Jennifer Evans, Sara Read
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Social Studies, Medicine
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

Reviews

No Rating Yet