The Apothecary's wifeless

I was immediately eager to see what light this book would shed on female involvement in medicine through the ages The author is the perfect person for this job and her passion for this topic clearly shows through the writing Karen Gevirtz specialises in the history of science and medicine alongside gender studies I was intrigued to see what her proffessional background brought to the topic and wasn t disappointed It s clear that the author has done her research well leaning on a variety of different materials created by both men and woman so as to give an unbiased view It s also important to note that this book is not trying to be against men.

The Apothecary's wifeless

Scholar of seventeenth and eighteenth century British texts of all kinds specializing in gender History of Science and History of Medicine Former full professor of English Gender Studies and Medical Humanities Loves fuzzy socks fireflies and the smell of herbs in the sunshine THE APOTHECARYS WIFE THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND HOW IT BECAME A COMMODITY is available for pre order on Bookshop. The Apothecary's wifelike cast org and at your local indepedent bookstore On shelves in November 2024 from Head of Zeus University of California Press Scholar of seventeenth and eighteenth century British texts of all kinds specializing in gender History of Science and History of Medicine Former full professor of English Gender Studies and Medical Humanities Loves fuzzy socks fireflies and the smell of herbs in the sunshine THE APOTHECARY S WIFE THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND HOW IT BECAME A COMMODITY is available for pre order on Bookshop. The Apothecary's wifely org and at your local indepedent bookstore On shelves in November 2024 from Head of Zeus University of California Press site_link Very well researched and presented showing the history of medicine and how the division between physicians and apothecaries became blurred as well as the way that medicine went from being a shared domestic resource mainly handled by women to a commodity mainly handled by men It was really interesting seeing how the Scientific Revolution changed the way recipes prescriptions were developed the use of spin in the eighteenth century and the way a quack was unmasked 1803286970 Conceptionally this is a well written book with an interesting focal topic As someone who is both female and works in the medical profession after studying an msc in genomic medicine or our current medical system rather is just sharing the journey and story of woman s involvement in medicine It is a non judgemental read that doesn t advocate for one thing or the other which makes it an easier pill to swallow sorry couldn t resist There are some areas that I felt unsure on but the author is clear on advising that the book is mine the history is shared and the choices are yours I enjoyed forming my own opinions on the evidence that she presented and she includes references at the back My only bugbear is a personal one and shouldn t dissaude you from reading I m used to reading these kind of topics from a medical standpoint and I feel this leans towards history story telling style of writing which made it hard for me to engage at points I think this will appeal to a greater variety of readers however those who don t tend to read factual books will appreciate the ease and story telling beauty with which Karen explains the topics and those who are interested in science are presented with a great starting board to then go delve off deeply into areas that interest them Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me to read this ARC 1803286970 The book delves into the fascinating story of how eighteenth century women incorporated the Scientific Revolution into their daily lives shedding light on the pivotal role they played in transforming the way people approached medicine It also explores how the Scientific Revolution catalyzed the shift from homemade remedies to professionally prescribed medications a transformation that had far reaching consequences for the healthcare system. The Apothecary's wifek banque For centuries the notion that anyone in a hurry to die should call the doctor was a running joke in Europe Historically physicians were notorious for administering painful and often fatal treatments and charging handsomely for their services In contrast women in people s lives were often the go to source for effective treatments This system persisted for hundreds of years before being replaced in less than a century. The Apothecary's wifee The book reveals that the Scientific Revolution fundamentally altered the concept of medicine transforming it from a household item to a commodity to be bought and sold This shift led to the development of a for profit healthcare system which replaced the traditional system of women s domestic medicine The current system is not natural eternal or inevitable rather it was created by people making specific choices and taking certain actions. The Apothecary's wifee This book is not only a history of medicine but also an examination of the economic system that emerged around the circulation of medications as commodities It is a critical analysis of one aspect of the development of Western capitalism which has multiple strains The author is not anti science anti medication or anti modern medications Instead the book offers a nuanced understanding of the past and its relevance to the present allowing readers to make informed choices about the healthcare system. The Apothecary's wifek banque The book is written in an accessible and engaging style making it an enjoyable read for anyone interested in history medicine or the social and economic context of healthcare 1803286970 medicine Before modern medicine what existed The answer was recipes handed down from mother to daughter These recipes the result of trial and error where a remedy that worked was worth recording Intriguing many of these herbal or herbaceous remedies had their roots excuse the pun in efficacy For example willow bark was administered for pain relief and willow bark contains acetyl salicylic acid better known as aspirin. The Apothecary's wifefu Ms Gevirtz reveals a fascinating world where pre Scientific Revolution these recipes were considered public property Women gladly helped neighbours and the wider community and shared their recipes to do this This is contrasted later in the book with the discovery and patenting of insulin available only to those that can afford it. The Apothecary's wifelike Ms Gervirtz charts how healing undertaken by women for free was usurped by men who took medicines out of the kitchen and into the laboratory As a result of the Scientific Revolution by the mid 1770s the kitchen garden belonged to women whilst the physic garden was a male preserve As men began to realise they could make money from medicine what had been free now cost money Medicine had become a commodity And to protect that commodity men further disenfranchised the female healers by the use of technical language and prescriptions written in cyphers But please don t misunderstand This is not a feminist or man hating book It is an account of a fascinating period in history when there was a seed change from free community healing to medicine for those that could pay. The Apothecary's wifelon I have no hesitation in highly recommending this readable book perhaps best summed up in the words of William Harvey What was once a science is now a trade ARC received in exchange for an honest unbiased review 1803286970

The Apothecary's Wife: The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became a Commodity By Karen Bloom Gevirtz

1803286970

9781803286976

English

Kindle Edition

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The running joke in Europe for centuries was that anyone in a hurry to die should call the doctor As far back as ancient Greece physicians were notorious for administering painful and often fatal treatments and charging for the privilege For the most effective treatment the ill and injured went to the women in their lives This system lasted hundreds of years It was gone in less than a century Contrary to the familiar story medication did not improve during the Scientific Revolution Yet somehow between 1650 and 1740 the domestic female and the physician switched places in the cultural she became the ineffective potentially dangerous quack he the knowledgeable trustworthy expert The professionals normalized the idea of paying them for what people already got at home without charge laying the foundation for Big Pharma and today s global for profit medication system A revelatory history of medicine The Apothecary s Wife challenges the myths of the triumph of science and instead uncovers the fascinating truth Drawing on a vast body of archival material Karen Bloom Gevirtz depicts the extraordinary cast of characters who brought about this transformation She also explores domestic medicine s values in responses to modern health crises such as the eradication of smallpox and what benefits we can learn from these events The Apothecary s Wife The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became a Commodity.