The history of diseases and illnesses and their treatment
is a fascinating subject and now that health and healthcare are
issues of increasing national concern their importance is greater
than ever. All three of our
Archive Centres hold a wealth of
information
on these topics. These pages aim to give you a taste of what
you might find.
Surgeons, physicians and apothecaries
Generally speaking, a physician diagnosed illnesses and
prescribed treatments for them, a surgeon performed operations
using surgical instruments and an apothecary prepared and dispensed
medicines. However, before the mid 19th century these categories
could be quite fluid; some people who called themselves surgeons
were more like physicians or general practitioners.
Physicians usually studied medicine at university, while surgeons
and physicians served an apprenticeship. The study of anatomy was
hampered in England because only the bodies of convicted murderers
could be used for dissection. Until 1832, when the Anatomy Act made
provision for an adequate and legal supply of corpses, surgeons
tended to learn about anatomy by experience. Military and naval
surgeons in particular were able to increase their knowledge by
treating casualties injured in battle. There were also many
textbooks on surgery and anatomy, often with surprisingly accurate
anatomical drawings. Some 17th and 18th century examples can be
seen at the Canterbury Cathedral Library.
Following the Physicians and Surgeons Act of 1511, medical
practitioners had to be licensed by the church. As a result, the
archives at both the Centre for Kentish Studies and Canterbury
Cathedral Archives hold licences for surgeons, physicians and
midwives.
See some examples of documents held in our Archives
Centres.
Midwives
Although most midwives were women, but there were also male
midwives, often referred to as 'man-midwives'. There was no formal
midwifery training until the late 19th century. Until the 18th
century, most textbooks on midwifery, with the exception of 'The
Midwives Book' by Jane Sharp (published in 1671), were written in
Latin, which most women would not have been able to read. Like
surgeons, midwives usually learned by experience, although a few
served a formal apprenticeship.
Until the mid-18th century midwives were licensed by the church
authorities. Their licences, sometimes giving details of the
children they had delivered, can be found among the records for the
dioceses of Rochester and Canterbury.
See some examples of documents held in our Archives
Centres.
|