Of Cholera and Commas: Science, Politics, and the Germ Theory Debates in Late Nineteenth-Century Britain

Date
2010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Haverford College. Department of History
Type
Thesis
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
eng
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Haverford users only
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
The Egyptian cholera epidemic of 1883-4 re-invigorated debates within the British and international medical communities over the cause and transmission of the disease. Despite four major outbreaks of epidemic cholera in Britain alone prior to the Egyptian epidemic, the cause and treatment of cholera remained largely an enigma to British physicians. Dr. Robert Koch's proposal of a germ theory, or micro-organism, cause of cholera, following his laboratory investigations of cholera in Egypt and India, provided new insight into the nature of the disease. Instead of a warm reception for his contributions to science, however, Koch's work encountered skepticism among many of Britain's leading physicians. This thesis uses articles published in Nature and The British Medical Journal during the 1883-4 epidemic as a lens through which to study the interplay between science and politics in the development and reception of germ theory in late nineteenth-century Britain. It examines the roots of a distinct British medical style in the nineteenth century and how the practice of medicine led to a reading of the disease that implicated environmental conditions in the cause and spread of cholera. Furthermore, the paper explores the political implications of Koch's germ theory and the antagonism this theory created to the empire's established commercial and public health policies. Finally, it illuminates the coincidence of medical and political objectives that informed the official British reaction to Koch's work.
Description
Citation
Collections