Description
Book Synopsis: By the time William Penn was planning the colony that would come to be called Pennsylvania, with Philadelphia at its heart, Europeans on both sides of the ocean had long experience with the hazards of city life, disease being the most terrifying among them. Drawing from those experiences, colonists hoped to create new urban forms that combined the commercial advantages of a seaport with the health benefits of the countryside. The Contagious City details how early Americans struggled to preserve their collective health against both the strange new perils of the colonial environment and the familiar dangers of the traditional city, through a period of profound transformation in both politics and medicine.
Philadelphia was the paramount example of this reforming tendency. Tracing the city’s history from its founding on the banks of the Delaware River in 1682 to the yellow fever outbreak of 1793, Simon Finger emphasizes the importance of public health and population control in decisions made by the city’s planners and leaders. He also shows that key figures in the city’s history, including Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush, brought their keen interest in science and medicine into the political sphere.
Throughout his account, Finger makes clear that medicine and politics were inextricably linked, and that both undergirded the debates over such crucial concerns as the city’s location, its urban plan, its immigration policy, and its creation of institutions of public safety. In framing the history of Philadelphia through the imperatives of public health, The Contagious City offers a bold new vision of the urban history of colonial America.
Details
Experience the captivating tale of The Contagious City: The Politics of Public Health in Early Philadelphia. Delve into the history of Philadelphia, from its founding in 1682 to the yellow fever outbreak of 1793, and discover how early Americans fought to protect their collective health. This eye-opening book, written by Simon Finger, explores the intersection of medicine and politics during a time of transformative change in both fields.
Uncover the fascinating challenges faced by the colonists as they sought to create a new urban landscape that combined the advantages of a thriving seaport with the benefits of a healthy country environment. From the perilous hazards of city life to the traditional dangers of diseases, The Contagious City takes you on a journey through the struggles of early Philadelphia.
Authored by a renowned historian, Simon Finger presents a compelling argument about the intertwined nature of medicine and politics in shaping the destiny of Philadelphia. Discover how major figures like Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush brought their scientific interests into the political arena, and understand the pivotal role that public health and population control played in the city’s decision-making process.
Experience a fresh perspective on urban history in colonial America as The Contagious City sheds light on important debates surrounding Philadelphia's location, urban planning, immigration policy, and the creation of public safety institutions. With meticulous research and rich storytelling, Finger unveils a bold new vision that will forever change the way you view the history of early America.
Don't miss out on this thought-provoking journey through the pages of The Contagious City: The Politics of Public Health in Early Philadelphia. Embrace the nexus of medicine and politics, and gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shaped cities and societies of the past.
Click here to get your copy today and embark on a captivating exploration of Philadelphia's vibrant history.
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