Fatal Thirst: Diabetes in Britain until Insulin (History of Science and Medicine Library) [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Lane Furdell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9004172505 | ISBN-13: 978-9004172500 | Publication Date: January 31, 2009

Although ancient and medieval doctors knew of the disorder called diabetes, the disease they treated was rare and largely confined to young sufferers. By the late Renaissance, however, the increasing incidence of diabetes in older adults required a re-examination of what caused the malady and how to cure it. Led by English healers, such as controversial apothecary Nicholas Culpeper and elite physician Thomas Willis, the study of diabetes produced significant debate in print over the locus of the disease and remedies for its treatment. These debates paralleled the growing schism in English medical circles over contradictory iatric theories and professional jurisdiction. On the eve of insulin's discovery, diabetologists still quarrelled over what diets might alleviate its symptoms. Including perspectives from patients and drawing on myriad sources, this book examines changing approaches to diabetes and its victims within the context of medical and scientific progress.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Lane Furdell, Ph.D. (1973) in History, Kent State University, is Professor of History at the University of North Florida. She has published extensively on early modern medicine including The Royal Doctors (Rochester, 2001) and Textual Healing (Brill, 2005).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Brill (January 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004172505
• ISBN-13: 978-9004172500
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,125,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth Lane Furdell, Professor of History and University Distinguished Professor at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, has published extensively on early modern British medicine, the first English-language medical books, and the treatment of diabetes before insulin.