Dealing with Medical Uncertainty in and through the History of Medicine

Abstract

This book examines the history of medicine as a sub-discipline within the medical humanities and its possible contributions to dealing with medical uncertainty. It investigates how the history of medicine reduced intolerance for ambiguity among medical students in the past, and can continue to do so today. Using several case studies, the second part of this volume illustrates the long-term and varied nature of questions of uncertainty in the history of medical practice. Starting with concrete examples, it explores the extent to which physicians have openly discussed such issues or, alternatively, attempted to hide them under a cloak of expertise. Contributors are: Sari Aalto, Rolf Ahlzén, Niels De Nutte, Pieter Dhondt, Jolien Gijbels, Rachel Irwin, Saara-Maija Kontturi, Virginia Langum, Måns Lindén, Suvi Rytty, Petr Svobodný, Evelina Wilson, and Jonatan Wistrand.