A Social History of Medicines in the Twentieth Century

Dr. John K. Crellin holds British qualifications in both medicine and pharmacy. He also holds a PhD in the history and philosophy of science. His principal interest is self-care, particularly the role of complementary medicine. Dr. Crellin has taught undergraduate, graduate, medical, and complementary/alternative medical students in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. His present position is John Clinch Professor of the History of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland; he gives frequent public and professional talks on complementary/alternative medicine. Dr. Crellin's publications range widely on the history of medicine and pharmacy, as well as on herbal medicine and home medicine in general. His books include Professionalism and Ethics in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Haworth, with F. Ania), "By the Patient and not by the Book": Constancy and Change in Small Town Doctoring (with P.I. Crellin); Herbal Medicine Past and Present (with J. Philpott); Home Medicine: The Newfoundland Experience; Alternative Health Care in Canada: Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Perspectives (co-edited with R. Andersen and J. Connor); and Healthways: Newfoundland Elders, Their L(festyles and Values (with R.R. Andersen and B. O'Dwyer) .

Preface and Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1. The Big Canvas: Issues and Context -- Some Key Questions -- Social Validation of Medicines -- Regionalism in the Story of Medicines -- Organization of the Book -- Rural Scenes -- Public /Community Health -- Colonialism -- Writing the Story -- Chapter 2. Prelude: Seventeenth to Nineteenth Centuries -- Introduction -- An Early Search for New Remedies -- Interfaces: Conventional Medicines, Self-Care, and Commercialism -- Chapter 3. Medicines for Weakness: 1900 to c.1950 -- Weakness and Social Conditions -- Prevention and Treatment -- The Medicines -- Pharmacological Effects, "Cascades," and Social Validation -- Chapter 4. Authority and Gatekeeping: 1900 to c. 1950 -- Authority and Patients' Faith -- Authority and Prescription Medicines -- Authority, Gatekeeping, and Responsibilities -- Authority: The Druggists' Role -- Chapter 5. Certainty? Maybe, Maybe Not: 1950 to 2000 -- The Challenges of Change -- Validation, Rejection, Ambivalence, and Four Themes -- Theme 1: Accommodating New Medicines -- Theme 2: Patients' Dependence and Professional Gatekeeping -- Chapter 6. Hope Amid Uncertainty: 1950 to 2000 -- Theme 3: Public Confidence: Challenges and Responses -- Theme 4: Changing Relationships-From Compliance to Concordance -- Epilogue. Do We Need a "New" Therapeutics? -- Notes -- Index --