Health and Healing in the Early Modern World

Student account @kingshistory. Tweeting stories & sources for UG module ‘Health & Healing in the Early Modern World’. A global history of early modern medicine.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Welcome to ‘Health and Healing in the Early Modern World’! Students on the module will take control of the account each week, sharing their interests and insights into the global history of early modern medicine.

[Dr. Philippa Hellawell @pbhellawell]

Last week, I recorded a discussion with my fab colleagues on Covid-19 & the role historians can play in shaping public discourse on pandemics. Thank you @davidbrydan @AnnaMaerker @therealcaitjan @LauraGowing. The students found it really engaging - a great end to @earlymodmedKCL!

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

and discouraged the British to adopt indigenous medicine.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

That being said, initial British settlers saw little difference between their own medical/health research and the medical theories of Indian physicians. However, racism and the subordination of Indians had rendered their practices inferior...

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Their own political agenda of expansionism.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

The development of medicine in India by the British had helped concretize their colonial position in India. By providing a more advanced array of medicine and treatment to the diseases that plagued them and those they colonized, the British were able to implement...

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

It was also in the best interest of European powers to improve health and hygiene. For instance, the British were able to capitalize upon the health and well-being of both British soldiers and Indian soldiers both militarily and politically.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

It was now more important than ever for Scientistic and Medical research to take place and help solidify European expansion and help colonial soldiers adapt to the Asian climate.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Thus causing a disparity between Europe and Asia. The European climate was perceived as superior- one that was not responsible for death and disease. And annexed Asia was seen as unclean and unhygienic.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

By the end of the 18th century, Britain had acquired the largest empire in the world (yet still not encroaching on African soil) the British boasted lands in the 'Tropics'. These were parts of Asia romanticized by their hot climate and "luxuriant natural bounty".

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Although the heat had proven too much for colonial powers. European settlers and soldiers became more acquainted with death and disease (e.g Fever and Asiatic Cholera) than the tales of decadence.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

@TudorWench Thanks! We read your chapter on health at sea for this week's class!

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

It is important to note that finding a way to manage scurvy cannot be wholly attributed to Lind. As with a lot of medical work, cures and treatments are often the result of a combination of people - this is the case for scurvy.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Thankfully, we’ll only be faced with a ‘petty quarantine’ nowadays. We can only hope there’ll be Netflix and good food.

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

Lazaretto - an institution (such as a hospital) for those with contagious diseases / a building or a ship used for detention in quarantine (from Merrim-Webster)

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

—Maritime Quarantine: Linking Old World and New World Histories, Alison Bashford

[Health and Healing in the Early Modern World @earlymodmedKCL]

For nearly two centuries before Lind's experiment citrus fruits had been identified as effective in helping sickness. Richard Hawkins in the 1590s, stressed the importance of sower lemons and oranges in treating illness, for instance.