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Lotions, potions, pills, and magic : health care in early America

In the years following the American Revolution, as poverty increased and America's water and air became more polluted, people grew sicker. Traditional medicine became increasingly ineffective. Instead, Americans sought out both older and newer forms of alternative medicine and people who embrac...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Breslaw, Elaine G., 1932-
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: New York : New York University Press, c2012.
Subjects and Genres:
Medicine > United States > History > 18th century.
Medicine > United States > History > 19th century.
Medical care > United States > History > 18th century.
Medical care > United States > History > 19th century.
Physicians > United States > History > 18th century.
Physicians > United States > History > 19th century.
Public health > United States > History > 18th century.
Public health > United States > History > 19th century.
Delivery of Health Care > history > United States.
History of Medicine > United States.
History, 18th Century > United States.
History, 19th Century > United States.
Medicine, Traditional > history > United States.
Physicians > history > United States.
United States > Social conditions > To 1865.
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100 1 |a Breslaw, Elaine G.,  |d 1932- 
245 1 0 |a Lotions, potions, pills, and magic :  |b health care in early America  |c Elaine Breslaw 
260 |a New York :  |b New York University Press,  |c c2012. 
300 |a xiv, 236 p. :  |b ill. ;  |c 24 cm. 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references (p. 203-226) and index. 
520 |a In the years following the American Revolution, as poverty increased and America's water and air became more polluted, people grew sicker. Traditional medicine became increasingly ineffective. Instead, Americans sought out both older and newer forms of alternative medicine and people who embraced these methods: midwives, folk healers, Native American shamans, African obeahs and the new botanical and water cure advocates. The author describes the evolution of public health crises and solutions, and argues that their ascendance over other healers didn't begin until germ theory finally migrated from Europe, and American medical education achieved professional standing. In addition to being a history of health in early America, it is a history of struggle, as natives and newcomers alike grappled with the obstacles imposed by biology, ecology, and fellow human beings. The author's position, supported by stories and anecdotes, calls for a frank reconsideration of the history of America, its health, and its doctors. 
505 0 |a Columbian Exchange -- Epidemics -- Tools of the Trade -- Abundance -- Wartime -- New Nation -- Giving Birth -- The Face of Madness -- Democratic Medicine -- Public Health -- Epilogue. 
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650 0 |a Medicine  |z United States  |x History  |y 19th century. 
650 0 |a Medical care  |z United States  |x History  |y 18th century. 
650 0 |a Medical care  |z United States  |x History  |y 19th century. 
650 0 |a Physicians  |z United States  |x History  |y 18th century. 
650 0 |a Physicians  |z United States  |x History  |y 19th century. 
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650 0 |a Public health  |z United States  |x History  |y 19th century. 
651 0 |a United States  |x Social conditions  |y To 1865. 
650 1 2 |a Delivery of Health Care  |x history  |z United States. 
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650 2 2 |a History, 19th Century  |z United States. 
650 2 2 |a Medicine, Traditional  |x history  |z United States. 
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