Martin Dinges Book order

It was not until the 1850s that the average life expectancy in women began to rise noticeably in Germany and Europe. Up to the 1980s it increased in waves. Since then the gender gap has gradually decreased and settled. For decades demographers, historians, medical researchers and health scientists have provided partial explanations for this phenomenon. This volume now presents a comparison of seven Central, Western and Northern European countries spanning one and a half centuries: some of the selected countries took part in both World Wars, others remained neutral; in some countries the rate of smoking varies, others have widely differing female occupation rates. As a result of this comparison, the varying effects of biological and socio-cultural influences on the gender gap and the reversal of this secular trend can be placed with much greater scientific precision than before. The volume also contributes to objectify the public debate on the gender gap and its implications for health policy.

Medical Pluralism is by now recognized as a reality in many countries. Studies, however, bringing together anthropologists and historians working on this subject are still rare. A comparative view on Germany and India with their different patterns of institutionalisation of medical pluralism is particularly rewarding. This volume focuses on practices starting with the story of a Transsylvanian lay healer who functioned in Lahore as a cultural broker. Indigenising of homoeopathy in Bengal shows a particular mode of appropriation. Patients and their choices are considered for the late 19th and late 20th century Germany and in present day India. In addition to the practices of lay healers as health care providers in Bengal and in Indian slums, independent General Practitioners and physicians working in the public health care system are analysed too. A case study of an Indian hospital shows a pragmatic way to introduce medical pluralism into a modern „allopathic“ institution. The political debate on medical pluralism e. g. in the German Reichstag in the beginning of the 20th century is also one of the topics. The book concludes with a theoretical reflection on the concept of medical pluralism.

Little attention has been paid so far to understanding the transmission of health knowledge from the different health agents to the various target groups. Knowledge areas include chronic disease, communicable disease, consumer health, environmental health, human sexuality, mental health, nutrition, physical fitness, and drug use/abuse. Given the fact that there has already been considerable analysis of the role of physicians in the transmission of health knowledge, this volume focuses on other health agents. The health practices discussed are, among others, maternity and pregnancy, prevention of venereal diseases, dental hygiene, drug addiction and alcohol abuse, nursing skills and techniques, childcare, homosexuality and mental health. There can be no doubt that the theme of the transmission and implementation of medical knowledge holds great potential for the future research of the history of medicine.

Briefe sind in den letzten Jahren als wertvolle Quelle für die Geschichte von Medizin und Gesundheit neu entdeckt worden. Sie bieten direkten Einblick in Erfahrungen von Schmerz und Krankheit und enthalten wichtige Informationen über Vorsorge, Selbstmedikation und medizinische Behandlung. In den Briefwechseln zwischen Gesunden sowie zwischen Ärzten und Kranken werden Bedürfnisse verhandelt, Geschlechterrollen thematisiert und Identitäten geformt. Dieser Band vereint erstmals Forschungsansätze aus dem deutschen und französischen Sprachraum, ergänzt durch englische Abstracts. Die Autoren sind Historiker der Medizin und Gesundheit sowie Literaturwissenschaftler. Zu den Themen gehören Patientenbriefe in der vormodernen Medikalkultur, die Rolle von Familien- und Gelehrtenbriefen im 18. Jahrhundert, narrative Autorität in autobiografischen Krankheitsberichten, sowie die Sprache der Krankheit in der Korrespondenz bedeutender Persönlichkeiten. Weitere Beiträge beleuchten die kulturellen Konstruktionen von Krankheit während der Aufklärung, die Chirurgie im Briefverkehr, und die Darstellung von Krankheiten in Briefen aus verschiedenen Jahrhunderten. Der Band schließt mit einer Analyse von Gesundheitsverhalten und der Beziehung zwischen Medizin und Literatur.