Medicine in Colonial America

Paper Summary:

This paper examines and discusses the medical practices in the Americas during the colonial period, from 1497 to 1776, looking first at the medical practices of the original natives of the land. The paper then examines the medical practices used by the settlers from their various countries of origin, and finally, looks at the establishment of an orderly and institutionalized medical practice that was the foundation of modern medicine. The paper concludes that the medical advancements in America were a painful affair that took over two centuries to mature into the medical system we have now.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ignorantly Healthy
The Development of 'Imperialist' Medicine
The Conditions of Life in Colonial America - Health Issues
The Development of Medical Science
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The natives of the Americas, long before Columbus sailed over, we can assume on a statistical probability, had their share of illness. They have on record some medicines that suit such ailments. These medicines are called 'alternate remedies' today, albeit with a tinge of suspicion. It is argued that these medicines based on herbs and a sprinkling of religion thrown in is unscientific. But we can observe that the indigenous people have managed very well with this form of health remedies, otherwise there would not have been so many tribes to battle with in the first place. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Axtell, James. The European and the Indian: Essays in the Ethnohistory of Colonial North America. Oxford University Press. 1982.
• Kisacky, Jeanne. Restructuring Isolation: Hospital Architecture, Medicine, and Disease Prevention. Bulletin of the History of Medicine, vol. 79, no. 1, 2005, pp: 1-49.
• Lewis, Thomas H. The Medicine Men: Oglala Sioux Ceremony and Healing. University of Nebraska Press. Lincoln, NE. 1992.
• N. A. Medicine and Health. Robert E. Lee Memorial Association, Inc. 2006. <http://www.stratfordhall.org/ed-med.html>
• N. A. The History of Medicine in America: The Settlers Arrive. International Wellness Directory. 2003. <http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/history/history01.htm>

More papers on Medicine in Colonial America:

• Book Review # 106049 : "A Review of "Deadly Medicine"
• Research Paper # 65182 : "Crime and Punishment in Colonial America"
• Essay # 29257 : "Witchcraft"

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