Singular Remedy - Cinchona Across the Atlantic World, 1751-1820

Innovative exploration of how medical knowledge was shared between and across diverse societies tied to the Atlantic World around 1800.

List of contents

Introduction. A singular remedy; I.1 The outlines of cinchona; I.2 An appraisal of the historiography; I.3 Book structure; 1. Origin stories; 1.1 Unalienable truths; 1.2 Botanists by instinct; 1.3 Illiterate saviours; 2. The demands of humanity; 2.1 World bark trade; 2.2 Geographies of consumption; 2.3 Limits to distribution; 3. Community of practice; 3.1 'Proper evacuations'; 3.2 Preparations of the bark; 3.3 Proprietary medicines; 4. Febrile situations; 4.1 Marshes and wetlands; 4.2 Cities, ships and camps; 4.3 'Hot climates'; 5. Harvests of change; 5.1 The growth regions; 5.2 The spectre of extinction; 5.3 The bark cutters; Conclusion. A plant of the world.

About the author

Stefanie Gänger is Professor of Modern History at Heidelberg University, Germany.

Summary

Stefanie Gänger explores how medical knowledge was shared across diverse societies tied to the Atlantic World between 1751 and 1820. Centred on Peruvian bark or cinchona, from which quinine is derived, she provides fresh perspectives on knowledge exchange and connections in the realm of medicine between the Atlantic empires and beyond.

Product details

• Authors: Stefanie Ganger, Stefanie (Universitat Heidelberg) Ganger, Stefanie Gänger, Ganger Stefanie Ganger
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2020
• EAN: 9781108842167
• ISBN: 978-1-108-84216-7
• No. of pages: 300
• Series: Science in History
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); History, HISTORY / General, SCIENCE / History, MEDICAL / History, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, History of Medicine, c 1500 onwards to present day, History of Science, Archaeology, History and Archaeology, Modern Period, C 1500 Onwards