Private Practice: In the Early Twentieth-Century Medical Office of Dr. Richard Cabot

The beginning of the twentieth century marked the rise of advanced medical technologies, allowing doctors to diagnose and treat diseases in new ways. Although American physicians accepted the validity of the new science of medicine, they were sometimes reluctant to trust technology over their professional judgment or intuition. Likewise, patients raised their own suspicions about the new scientific tools, sometimes resisting or contradicting the advice of their physicians. Here Christopher Crenner examines a critical period in medical history, focusing on the office practice of Boston physician Richard Cabot. Intimate epistolary exchanges between Cabot and his patients shed light on the challenges presented by the new technologies - especially their impact on the personal relationships between doctor and patient - providing insight into a time of expanding science and radical change.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1. The Authority of a Scientific Doctor Chapter 2. Organizing a Private Office: Between Home and Hospital Chapter 3. The Diagnosis of Hidden Disease Chapter 4. Treatment: How to Know What Works Chapter 5. Nervous Disease and Personal Identity Chapter 6. Medical Care for the Dying, in Principle and in Fact Chapter 7. From Cabot's Day to Ours: Ideals of the Medical Relationship Notes Index

About the Author :
Christopher Crenner is chair of the Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine and an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Review :
A fine book, an engaging example of the best sort of contemporary history... Crenner has provided as much material for the historian as for the historically minded physician... rigorously researched and fascinating. -- Richard Barnett The Lancet An important reference for readers who are interested in the intellectual and organizational contributions of Richard Cabot... of interest to all who would enjoy an elegant look back at the pathways by which modern medicine has developed. -- Dwight K. Oxley, MD Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine An informative book. -- Ian Cameron Canadian Family Physician Private Practice is solid scholarship, a model for students of medical history, a significant contribution for medical historians, and an inspiration for further research. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences An important book, thoroughly researched and documented... Readers interested in the sociology of medicine will find that Cabot's private practice yields new insights. -- David Faflik New England Quarterly