Experimental pharmacology and therapeutic innovation in the eighteenth century
In the historiography of pharmacology and therapeutics, the 18th century is regarded as a period of transition from traditional, Galenistic materia medica to the beginnings of modern, experimental drug research. Ackerknecht (1973) characterized the pharmacotherapy of this period as a ~chaotic mixture of chemiatric and Galenistic practices~, yet acknowledged an ~increasing tendency toward empiricism, partly even true experimentalism~. This thesis explores this transitional phase for the first time in depth, examining the relations between pharmacological experimentation, theory-building, and therapeutic practice. Furthermore, ethical aspects are highlighted. The general introduction discusses the secondary literature and presents the results of a systematic study of pharmacological articles in relevant 18th-century periodicals. The identified main areas of contemporary interest, the spectrum of methods applied, and the composition of the authorship are described and interpreted. It is shown that lithontriptics (~dissolvents~ for urinary stones), opium, and Peruvian bark were of major concern to 18th-century pharmacology. These substances are the subjects of three ~case studies~, which form the body of the thesis.
Maehle, Andreas-Holger
History
Experimental pharmacology and therapeutic innovation in the eighteenth century. In the historiography of pharmacology and therapeutics, the 18th century is regarded as a period of transition from traditional, Galenistic materia medica to the beginnings of modern, experimental drug research. Ackerknecht (1973) characterized the pharmacotherapy of this period as a ~chaotic mixture of chemiatric and Galenistic practices~, yet acknowledged an ~increasing tendency toward empiricism, partly even true experimentalism~. This thesis explores this transitional phase for the first time in depth, examining the relations between pharmacological experimentation, theory-building, and therapeutic practice. Furthermore, ethical aspects are highlighted. The general introduction discusses the secondary literature and presents the results of a systematic study of pharmacological articles in relevant 18th-century periodicals. The identified main areas of contemporary interest, the spectrum of methods applied, and the composition of the authorship are described and interpreted. It is shown that lithontriptics (~dissolvents~ for urinary stones), opium, and Peruvian bark were of major concern to 18th-century pharmacology. These substances are the subjects of three ~case studies~, which form the body of the thesis.
experimental therapeutic innovation historiography therapeutic regard period_transition traditional beginning modern experimental drug research characterize period chaotic mixture practices yet acknowledge increasing tendency toward empiricism partly even true explores transitional phase first_time depth examine_relation experimentation theory building therapeutic practice furthermore ethical aspect highlight general_introduction discuss secondary_literature present_systematic study article relevant th_century periodical identify main_area contemporary interest spectrum method_apply composition authorship describe interpret show stone opium peruvian bark major_concern th_century substance subject three_case studies form body