This exhibition was drawn from the Collections of Charles E. Rosenberg, William H. Helfand, and The Library Company of Philadelphia. During the eighteenth and much of the nineteenth centuries, most Americans healed themselves, as their ancestors had for centuries. Professional medical assistance was either too far away, too expensive, or both. Even wealthy urban families usually attempted some sort of home health care before the doctor was called. This care was usually administered with the aid of books and pamphlets.
Curated by James N. Green, William H. Helfand, and Charles E. Rosenberg, 1998.
Resources
Every Man His Own Doctor: Popular Medicine in Early America Online Exhibit
