KEIR WADDINGTON is Reader in the Social History of Medicine and Head of History at Cardiff University, UK. He has written a number of books on the history of hospitals, asylums, medical education and public health. He is closely involved with the Society for the Social History of Medicine.

'Keir Waddington combines a readable and comprehensive outline of his subject with relevant writing and research in this single volume, useful to undergraduate and other readers seeking an up-to-date survey of the social history of medicine.' - Steven Cherry, University of East Anglia, UK 'This book makes a first-rate contribution to the social history of medicine...One of the great strengths of the book is the way in which it enlivens topics without compromising scholarly credentials. It is rare to be able to say this, but this book strikes exactly the right balance between summarising context, synthesising some of the key historiography, and indicating new approaches that will shape the sorts of research areas that students might wish to pursue for their dissertation work in their final year. The structure of the book is thus very well thought-through for many university lecturers...Buy this book, read its scholarship and engage with an author who has crafted a new scholarly contribution worthy of praise.' - Elizabeth T. Hurren, Social History of Medicine

• List of IllustrationsList of TablesAcknowledgementsAbbreviationsPrefaceUnderstanding the History of Medicine: HistoriographyDisease, Illness and SocietyMedicine and ReligionWomen, Health and MedicineMedical Self-Help and the Market for MedicineAnatomy and MedicineSurgeryHospitalsPractitioners and ProfessionalizationScience and the Practice of MedicineNursingPublic HealthHealthcare and the StateMedicine and EmpireMedicine and WarfareThe Rise of the AsylumAfterwordIndex.

KEIR WADDINGTON is Reader in the Social History of Medicine and Head of History at Cardiff University, UK. He has written a number of books on the history of hospitals, asylums, medical education and public health. He is closely involved with the Society for the Social History of Medicine.

'Keir Waddington combines a readable and comprehensive outline of his subject with relevant writing and research in this single volume, useful to undergraduate and other readers seeking an up-to-date survey of the social history of medicine.' - Steven Cherry, University of East Anglia, UK 'This book makes a first-rate contribution to the social history of medicine...One of the great strengths of the book is the way in which it enlivens topics without compromising scholarly credentials. It is rare to be able to say this, but this book strikes exactly the right balance between summarising context, synthesising some of the key historiography, and indicating new approaches that will shape the sorts of research areas that students might wish to pursue for their dissertation work in their final year. The structure of the book is thus very well thought-through for many university lecturers...Buy this book, read its scholarship and engage with an author who has crafted a new scholarly contribution worthy of praise.' - Elizabeth T. Hurren, Social History of Medicine

• List of IllustrationsList of TablesAcknowledgementsAbbreviationsPrefaceUnderstanding the History of Medicine: HistoriographyDisease, Illness and SocietyMedicine and ReligionWomen, Health and MedicineMedical Self-Help and the Market for MedicineAnatomy and MedicineSurgeryHospitalsPractitioners and ProfessionalizationScience and the Practice of MedicineNursingPublic HealthHealthcare and the StateMedicine and EmpireMedicine and WarfareThe Rise of the AsylumAfterwordIndex.

KEIR WADDINGTON is Reader in the Social History of Medicine and Head of History at Cardiff University, UK. He has written a number of books on the history of hospitals, asylums, medical education and public health. He is closely involved with the Society for the Social History of Medicine.

'Keir Waddington combines a readable and comprehensive outline of his subject with relevant writing and research in this single volume, useful to undergraduate and other readers seeking an up-to-date survey of the social history of medicine.' - Steven Cherry, University of East Anglia, UK 'This book makes a first-rate contribution to the social history of medicine...One of the great strengths of the book is the way in which it enlivens topics without compromising scholarly credentials. It is rare to be able to say this, but this book strikes exactly the right balance between summarising context, synthesising some of the key historiography, and indicating new approaches that will shape the sorts of research areas that students might wish to pursue for their dissertation work in their final year. The structure of the book is thus very well thought-through for many university lecturers...Buy this book, read its scholarship and engage with an author who has crafted a new scholarly contribution worthy of praise.' - Elizabeth T. Hurren, Social History of Medicine

• List of IllustrationsList of TablesAcknowledgementsAbbreviationsPrefaceUnderstanding the History of Medicine: HistoriographyDisease, Illness and SocietyMedicine and ReligionWomen, Health and MedicineMedical Self-Help and the Market for MedicineAnatomy and MedicineSurgeryHospitalsPractitioners and ProfessionalizationScience and the Practice of MedicineNursingPublic HealthHealthcare and the StateMedicine and EmpireMedicine and WarfareThe Rise of the AsylumAfterwordIndex.