{"product_id":"household-medicine-in-seventeenth-century-england-scholarly","title":"Household Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England - Scholarly","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Household Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England the reviewer finds a focused, archival study ideal for readers who want a grounded look at early modern domestic health care. Anne Stobart draws on previously unpublished household papers to reveal how families managed everyday illness, what remedies they prepared and who in the household handled medical tasks. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its primary-source base, which gives concrete examples of recipes, accounts and letters that illuminate how ordinary people practised what the author calls \u003cstrong\u003ekitchin physick\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary sources:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uses unpublished household papers, including recipes, accounts and letters, to show real-life medical practice rather than relying on later summaries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHousehold focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Examines how families organised care and the roles of women and men in everyday treatment, giving a social rather than purely clinical perspective.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRemedy detail:\u003c\/strong\u003e Describes the types of remedies households favoured and how they prepared them from common household resources.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComparative analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Analyses differences between households, showing variation in approaches to self-help and medical decision making.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContextual history:\u003c\/strong\u003e Places domestic practice alongside the increasing commercialisation and professionalisation of medicine into the 18th century, clarifying historical change.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is well suited to readers of early modern history, social historians interested in domestic life, and students studying the history of medicine who need case-based evidence drawn from household papers. The archival detail will also reward scholars investigating gendered practices within the home and the material culture of remedies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is not a clinical manual or a broad general survey for casual readers seeking a quick chronology; those wanting a sweeping medical history with extensive theoretical apparatus may prefer a broader textbook. Readers expecting modern medical instruction should look elsewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrounded use of unpublished household papers provides tangible, original evidence about everyday health care.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear attention to how remedies were made and used makes the subject accessible to non-specialists.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood balance between description of practice and wider historical context about medical professionalisation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe focus on household documents means the book can feel narrow to readers who want a broad, synthetic history of medicine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHousehold Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAnne Stobart\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSource material\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUnpublished household papers, recipes, accounts and letters\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDomestic health care and household remedies in 17th-century England\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSocial and material history with comparative household analysis\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHistorical scope\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeventeenth century with context into early 18th-century professionalisation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHousehold Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England is a valuable, source-rich study for readers who want concrete evidence of how ordinary families managed health and illness. Its archival base and focus on \u003cstrong\u003ekitchin physick\u003c\/strong\u003e make it good value for students and scholars seeking primary examples of recipes and domestic care practices rather than theoretical overviews.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book use original sources?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The author draws on previously unpublished household papers, including recipes, accounts and letters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it suitable for general readers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes for interested general readers who enjoy case-based history, but those wanting a broad medical textbook may find it narrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it cover professional medicine too?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt primarily examines household self-help and places those practices in the wider context of medicine becoming more commercial and professional into the 18th century.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Anne Stobart","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48234855989467,"sku":"1472580354","price":190.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/912NWuIw0iL._SL1500.jpg?v=1770728013","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/household-medicine-in-seventeenth-century-england-scholarly","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}