Pneumonia Before Antibiotics: Therapeutic Evolution and Evaluation in Twentieth-Century America

Name: Pneumonia Before Antibiotics: Therapeutic Evolution and Evaluation in Twentieth-Century America
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Book Synopsis: Pneumonia―Osler's "Captain of the Men of Death" and still the leading infectious cause of death in the United States―has until now received scant attention from historians. In Pneumonia Before Antibiotics, clinician-historian Scott H. Podolsky uses pneumonia's enduring prevalence and its centrality to the medical profession's therapeutic self-identity to examine the evolution of therapeutics in twentieth-century America. Focusing largely on the treatment of pneumonia in first half of the century with type-specific serotherapy, Podolsky provides insight into the rise and clinical evaluation of therapeutic "specifics," the contested domains of private practice and public health, and-as the treatment of pneumonia made the transition from serotherapy to chemotherapy and antibiotics―the tempo and mode of therapeutic change itself. Type-specific serotherapy, founded on the tenets of applied immunology, justified by controlled clinical trials, and grounded in a novel public ethos, was deemed revolutionary when it emerged to replace supportive therapeutics. With the advent of the even more revolutionary sulfa drugs and antibiotics, pneumonia ceased to be a public health concern and became instead an illness treated in individual patients by individual physicians.Podolsky describes the new therapeutics and the scientists and practitioners who developed and debated them. He finds that, rather than representing a barren era in anticipation of some unknown transformation to come, the first decades of the twentieth-century shaped the use of, and reliance upon, the therapeutic specific throughout the century and beyond. This intriguing study will interest historians of medicine and science, policymakers, and clinicians alike.

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Discover the untold story of one of the deadliest diseases in twentieth-century America - pneumonia. In "Pneumonia Before Antibiotics: Therapeutic Evolution and Evaluation in Twentieth-Century America," author Scott H. Podolsky uncovers the fascinating history of this infamous illness and its impact on medical advancements.

While pneumonia has often been referred to as Osler's "Captain of the Men of Death," surprisingly little attention has been given to it by historians. Now, Podolsky sheds light on its enduring prevalence and explores the evolution of therapeutics throughout the century.

Step into the world of medical breakthroughs as Podolsky delves into the treatment of pneumonia in the first half of the twentieth century. Discover the revolutionary concept of type-specific serotherapy, a treatment founded on applied immunology, backed by controlled clinical trials, and embraced by a new public ethos. Join the lively debates among scientists and practitioners who developed and advocated for these groundbreaking therapies.

As the twentieth century progressed, pneumonia treatment made a pivotal transition from serotherapy to chemotherapy and antibiotics. Witness the tempo and mode of this transformative therapeutic change and how it reshaped the field of medicine forever.

For historians, policymakers, clinicians, and anyone fascinated by the history of medicine and science, "Pneumonia Before Antibiotics" is a must-read. Gain a deeper understanding of the historic struggle against this deadly disease and how the quest for a cure shaped the practices and ideologies of the medical profession.

Don't miss out on this captivating tale of innovation and triumph. Get your copy of "Pneumonia Before Antibiotics" today and embark on an extraordinary journey through the evolution of therapeutic treatments.

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