Germs and Governance

Professor Dame Anne Marie Rafferty CBE is Professor of Nursing Policy at King’s College London and President of the Royal College of NursingMarguerite Dupree is Professor Emeritus of Social and Medical History at the University of Glasgow and Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College at the University of CambridgeFay Bound Alberti is Professor of Modern History and Director of the Centre for Technology and the Body at King’s College London

'Germs and governance brings together a diverse array of scholars to give the topic its due attention, presented here as a series of eleven articles, framed by an introduction and incisive conclusion... Ultimately, it is this call for – and demonstration of – such cross-disciplinary approaches to an enduring hospital and societal concern that makes this a particularly useful volume for historians, clinicians, and policymakers alike.'Scott H. Podolsky, Social History of Medicine'Limitations to control of infections originating in hospitals have long been evident. Antibiotic-resistant organisms and their ability to transfer associated genes are increasingly problematic, and this rise of so-called superbugs alarms health care professionals on a global scale. Including contributions from medical historians, infection control specialists, and policy makers, this book presents the methods from past to present that have been and still are used to minimize the spread of infections in hospitals, providing some insight into where infection control improvements can be made. The book is organized into five parts, each comprising a historical chapter and an updating one: policy, medical training, clinical practice, control in the laboratory, and projections for future control of antibiotic resistance, especially given the threats posed by such bacteria as MRSA (staph) and Clostridium. The editors summarize current challenges for key players in a jointly authored conclusion. A great read, this book should appeal to everyone involved in health care at all stages of their careers, including bacteriologists, caregivers, and especially administrators, and will reinforce understanding of the longstanding importance of prevention and control of infection. Although many examples and data sets were collected in the UK, the book is relatable to health care systems everywhere.--M. C. Pavao, Worcester State UniversitySumming Up: Highly recommended. All readers.Reprinted with permission from Choice Reviews. All rights reserved. Copyright by the American Library Association.

• Foreword – Professor Dame Sally DaviesIntroduction – Marguerite Dupree, Anne Marie Rafferty and Fay Bound AlbertiPart I: Policy and infection control1 Hospital infections and the role of the community before MRSA, 1930–1960 – Flurin Condrau2 Cleanliness costs: the evolving relationship between infection and length of stay in antibiotic-era hospitals – Sally SheardPart II: Infection control: Nurses and medical students3 Pus, pedagogy and practice: how ‘dirt’ shaped surgical nurse training and hierarchies of practice, 1900–1935 – Pamela Wood4 Septic subjects: infection control and occupational illness in British hospitals, c. 1870–1970 – Claire L. Jones5 Learning the art and science of infection prevention and control: a practical application – Susan MacqueenPart III: Practice and infection control: Focus on gloves6 Wax paste and vaccination: alternatives to surgical gloves for infection control, 1880–1945 – Thomas Schlich7 The evolving role of gloves in healthcare – Jennie WilsonPart IV: Practice and infection control: In the laboratory8 Constructing the ‘Sanitary Officer’: the Pathologist’s role in infection prevention and control at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, 1892–1939 – Rosemary Cresswell9 Infection control from the laboratory to the clinic: John H. Bowie and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, c.1945–1970 – Susan GardinerPart V: Into the future10 Infection prevention and control in the twenty-first century: the era of patient safety – Neil Wigglesworth11 Infection control and antimicrobial resistance: the past, the present and the future – Alistair LeanordConclusion: using the past – Marguerite Dupree, Anne Marie Rafferty and Fay Bound AlbertiIndex