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In Sickness and in Health: A History of Medicine - ARTS2304
 History and the Philosophy of Science

   
   
   
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: 30 units of credit at Level 1
 
 
Excluded: GENS5522, GENT0902, HPSC2660
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 1 (more info)
 
   
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 
Available for General Education: Yes (more info)
 
  

Description

Subject Area: History and Philosophy of Science

Medicine and health care are high-profile issues in society today, so it is important that lay people understand the background to innovations, controversies, advice and treatment. Medical knowledge (theory and practice) has always been central to the very existence of human beings but in the current climate of screening, testing, overwhelming health advice, and even proposed legislation, it is vital for students to be aware of how we, in Western societies, moved on from the 'miracles of modern medicine' to create a generation of the 'worried well'. In particular the course will examine: the origins of medical ethics; the problems of anatomy, dissection and grave robbing; the function of nursing and hospitals; surgery with and without anaesthetics; miasmas, germs and microbes; the hunt for the magic bullet; madness; birth and death and syndromes and social problems.

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