Forgotten Disease

Illnesses Transformed in Chinese Medicine

Nonfiction, History, Asian, China
Cover of the book Forgotten Disease by Hilary A. Smith, Stanford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Hilary A. Smith ISBN: 9781503603509
Publisher: Stanford University Press Publication: October 17, 2017
Imprint: Stanford University Press Language: English
Author: Hilary A. Smith
ISBN: 9781503603509
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Publication: October 17, 2017
Imprint: Stanford University Press
Language: English

Around the turn of the twentieth century, disorders that Chinese physicians had been writing about for over a millennium acquired new identities in Western medicine—sudden turmoil became cholera; flowers of heaven became smallpox; and foot qi became beriberi. Historians have tended to present these new identities as revelations, overlooking evidence that challenges Western ideas about these conditions. In Forgotten Disease, Hilary A. Smith argues that, by privileging nineteenth century sources, we misrepresent what traditional Chinese doctors were seeing and doing, therefore unfairly viewing their medicine as inferior.

Drawing on a wide array of sources, ranging from early Chinese classics to modern scientific research, Smith traces the history of one representative case, foot qi, from the fourth century to the present day. She examines the shifting meanings of disease over time, showing that each transformation reflects the social, political, intellectual, and economic environment. The breathtaking scope of this story offers insights into the world of early Chinese doctors and how their ideas about health, illness, and the body were developing far before the advent of modern medicine. Smith highlights the fact that modern conceptions of these ancient diseases create the impression that the West saved the Chinese from age-old afflictions, when the reality is that many prominent diseases in China were actually brought over as a result of imperialism. She invites the reader to reimagine a history of Chinese medicine that celebrates its complexity and nuance, rather than uncritically disdaining this dynamic form of healing.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Around the turn of the twentieth century, disorders that Chinese physicians had been writing about for over a millennium acquired new identities in Western medicine—sudden turmoil became cholera; flowers of heaven became smallpox; and foot qi became beriberi. Historians have tended to present these new identities as revelations, overlooking evidence that challenges Western ideas about these conditions. In Forgotten Disease, Hilary A. Smith argues that, by privileging nineteenth century sources, we misrepresent what traditional Chinese doctors were seeing and doing, therefore unfairly viewing their medicine as inferior.

Drawing on a wide array of sources, ranging from early Chinese classics to modern scientific research, Smith traces the history of one representative case, foot qi, from the fourth century to the present day. She examines the shifting meanings of disease over time, showing that each transformation reflects the social, political, intellectual, and economic environment. The breathtaking scope of this story offers insights into the world of early Chinese doctors and how their ideas about health, illness, and the body were developing far before the advent of modern medicine. Smith highlights the fact that modern conceptions of these ancient diseases create the impression that the West saved the Chinese from age-old afflictions, when the reality is that many prominent diseases in China were actually brought over as a result of imperialism. She invites the reader to reimagine a history of Chinese medicine that celebrates its complexity and nuance, rather than uncritically disdaining this dynamic form of healing.

More books from Stanford University Press

Cover of the book The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book How India Became Territorial by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Getting New Things Done by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Beyond Expulsion by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Selling under the Swastika by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Contractors and War by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Sunbelt Justice by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Classical Geopolitics by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book And Then We Work for God by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Forging the Sword by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Discreet Power by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book The Cuban Missile Crisis in American Memory by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book The Ridiculous Jew by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Stanford in Turmoil by Hilary A. Smith
Cover of the book Fumo by Hilary A. Smith
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy