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 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) 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

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