Lay medical culture and its English critics, c.1620 to c.1720
This thesis deals with the way in which lay medical culture was perceived by literate elites in seventeenth-century England. It seeks to reappraise an existing historical picture in which the growth of scientific rationalism is seen as leading to a growing divide between the mentalities and medical practices of elites and those of the rest of society. Rather than treating these two groups as polar opposites the thesis examines the means by which they interacted. This is chiefly based on an examination of commonplace books which, from the Renaissance onwards, were central to the way in which literate laymen and women recorded information both from printed and manuscript material and from talking with others. The introductory chapter looks at the various ways in which the meaning of words such as lay and vulgar was constructed by their users. Chapter 2 goes on to describe the manner in which commonplace books contributed to the vulgarisation of medical knowledge amongst private individuals, at a family level, within local communities, and beyond. Chapters 3 and 4 continue this theme by looking at the collection of material within the institutional context of first, the Hartlib Circle, and second, the Royal Society.
Goldbloom, Alexander
Scientific rationalism; Medicine; Vulgarisation
Lay medical culture and its English critics, c.1620 to c.1720. This thesis deals with the way in which lay medical culture was perceived by literate elites in seventeenth-century England. It seeks to reappraise an existing historical picture in which the growth of scientific rationalism is seen as leading to a growing divide between the mentalities and medical practices of elites and those of the rest of society. Rather than treating these two groups as polar opposites the thesis examines the means by which they interacted. This is chiefly based on an examination of commonplace books which, from the Renaissance onwards, were central to the way in which literate laymen and women recorded information both from printed and manuscript material and from talking with others. The introductory chapter looks at the various ways in which the meaning of words such as lay and vulgar was constructed by their users. Chapter 2 goes on to describe the manner in which commonplace books contributed to the vulgarisation of medical knowledge amongst private individuals, at a family level, within local communities, and beyond. Chapters 3 and 4 continue this theme by looking at the collection of material within the institutional context of first, the Hartlib Circle, and second, the Royal Society.
lay medical culture english critic deal way lay medical culture perceive literate elite seventeenth_century_england seek reappraise exist historical picture growth scientific rationalism see lead grow divide mentality medical_practice elites rest society rather treat two_group polar opposite examines mean interact chiefly base_examination commonplace book renaissance onwards central way literate layman woman record information print_manuscript material talk others introductory look_various way mean word lay construct user describe manner commonplace book contribute medical_knowledge amongst private_individual family level within local_community beyond continue theme look collection material within institutional_context first circle second royal society