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Book Cover
E-book
Author Riddle, John M., author.

Title Contraception and abortion from the ancient world to the Renaissance / John M. Riddle
Published Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1992

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Description 1 online resource (x, 245 pages) : illustrations
Contents 1. Population and Sex -- 2. Evidence for Oral Contraceptives and Abortifacients -- 3. Soranus on Antifertility Agents -- 4. Terminology in Dioscorides' De materia medica -- 5. Early Stage Abortifacients in Dioscorides and Soranus -- 6. Ancient Society and Birth Control Agents -- 7. Egyptian Papyrus Sources -- 8. Greek and Roman Medicine from Hippocrates to Galen -- 9. The Late Roman Empire and Early Middle Ages -- 10. The Middle Ages: The Church, Macer, and Hildegard -- 11. Salerno and Medicine through the Twelfth Century -- 12. Islam, Arabic Medicine, and the Late Middle Ages -- 13. Knowledge of Birth Control in the West -- 14. The Renaissance -- 15. Later Developments
Summary "John Riddle uncovers the obscure history of contraception and abortifacients from ancient Egypt to the seventeenth century with forays into Victorian England--a topic that until now has evaded the pens of able historians." "Riddle's thesis is, quite simply, that the ancient world did indeed possess effective (and safe) contraceptives and abortifacients. The author maintains that this rich body of knowledge about fertility control--widely held in the ancient world--was gradually lost over the course of the Middle Ages, becoming nearly extinct by the early modern period. The reasons for this, he suggests, stemmed from changes in the organization of medicine. As university medical training became increasingly important, physicians' ties with folk traditions were broken. The study of birth control methods was just not part of the curriculum."
"In an especially telling passage, Riddle reveals how Renaissance humanists were ill equipped to provide accurate translations of ancient texts concerning abortifacients due to their limited experience with women's ailments. Much of the knowledge about contraception belonged to an oral culture--a distinctively female-centered culture. From ancient times until the seventeenth century women held a monopoly on birthing and the treatment of related matters information passed from midwife to mother, from mother to daughter. Riddle reflects on the difficulty of finding traces of oral culture and the fact that the little existing evidence is drawn from male writers who knew that culture only from a distance. Nevertheless, through extraordinary scholarly sleuthing, the author pieces together the clues and evaluates the scientific merit of these ancient remedies in language that is easily understood by the general reader. His findings will be useful to anyone interested in learning whether it was possible for premodern people to regulate their reproduction without resorting to the extremities of dangerous surgical abortions, the killing of infants, or the denial of biological urges."--Jacket
Analysis Family planning History
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Contraception -- History
Oral contraceptives -- History
Abortifacients -- History
Medicine, Ancient.
Medicine, Medieval.
Humanities.
Social control.
Personality.
Medical personnel.
Reproductive technology.
Culture.
Social sciences.
Obstetrics -- Surgery.
Therapeutics.
Surgery, Operative.
Crime.
Philosophy.
Human behavior.
Contraceptives.
Ethnology.
Sociology.
Anatomy.
Anthropology.
Medical care.
Criminology.
Infanticide.
History.
Individuality.
Christianity.
Religion.
Abortifacients.
Oral contraceptives.
Hormones.
Drugs.
Methodology.
Physicians.
Contraception.
Men.
Women.
Abortion.
Fetus.
International cooperation.
Humanities
Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists
Social Control, Formal
Personality
Ethics
Health Personnel
Homicide
Reproductive Control Agents
Contraceptive Agents, Female
Reproductive Techniques
Culture
Complementary Therapies
Persons
Investigative Techniques
Reproductive Physiological Phenomena
Sexual Behavior
Embryonic Structures
Social Sciences
Obstetric Surgical Procedures
Chemicals and Drugs
Therapeutics
Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment
Named Groups
Occupational Groups
Surgical Procedures, Operative
Crime
Health Care Economics and Organizations
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Philosophy
Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena
Behavior
Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena
Therapeutic Uses
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms
Contraceptive Agents
Anthropology, Cultural
Sociology
Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services
Anatomy
Pharmacologic Actions
Anthropology
Delivery of Health Care
Phenomena and Processes
Criminology
Psychiatry and Psychology
Chemical Actions and Uses
History, Medieval
Infanticide
History
Individuality
Christianity
Religion
Abortifacient Agents
History, Ancient
Jurisprudence
Personhood
Contraceptives, Oral
Hormones
Internationality
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Sexuality
Methods
Physicians
Contraception
Medicine, Traditional
Men
Women
Abortion, Induced
Fetus
International Cooperation
Patient Care
humanities.
culture note.
social sciences.
crimes (events)
philosophy.
human behavior.
sociology.
anatomy.
anthropology.
criminology.
history (discipline)
Christianity.
religion (discipline)
hormone.
methodology.
physicians.
men (male humans)
treating (health care function)
women (female humans)
culture (concept)
crime (social issue)
Abortifacients
Contraception
Medicine, Ancient
Medicine, Medieval
Oral contraceptives
Abortus provocatus.
Anticonceptie.
Contraception -- Histoire.
Contraceptifs oraux -- Histoire.
Abortifs -- Histoire.
Médecine médiévale.
Médecine ancienne.
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 0674168755
9780674168756
0674168763
9780674168763