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Locating hygienic medicine within the intellectual history of hygiene: cases of E. W. Lane and T. R. Allinson

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Abstract

Nineteenth century hygiene might be a confusing concept. On the one hand, the concept of hygiene was gradually becoming an important concept that was focused on cleanliness and used interchangeably with sanitation. On the other hand, the classical notions of hygiene rooted in the Hippocratic teachings remained influential. This study is about two attempts to newly theorise such a confusing concept of hygiene in the second half of the century by Edward. W. Lane and Thomas R. Allinson. Their works, standing on the borders of self-help medical advice and theoretical treatises on medical philosophies, were not exactly scholarly ones, but their medical thoughts - conceptualised as hygienic medicine - show a characteristically holistic medical view of hygiene, a nineteenth-century version of the reinterpretation of the nature cure philosophy and vitalism. However, the aim of this study is to properly locate their conceptualisations of hygienic medicine within the historical context of the second half of the nineteenth century rather than to simply introduce the medical ideas in their books. Their views of hygiene were distinguished not only from the contemporary sanitary approach but also from similar attempts by contemporary orthodox and unorthodox medical doctors. Through a chronological analysis of changes in the concept of hygiene and a comparative analysis of these two authors’ and other medical professionals’ views of hygiene, this paper aims to help understand the complicated picture of nineteenth-century hygiene, particularly during the second half of the century, from the perspective of medical holism and reductionism.

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Notes

  1. Combe’s essay on the question aroused an intensive debate in the society leading to some legal proceedings: (1847). Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Late Dr Andrew Combe. The Phrenological Journal, and Magazine of Moral Science, 20 (93), 373–407, p. 392.

  2. In this sense, nineteenth century hygiene followed the similar path to that of medicine (see Weisz, 2003).

  3. The Letter written by Lane was read by Dr B. W. Richardson, F.R.S. at his lecture on Charles Darwin, F.R.S. in St. George’s Hall, Langham Place, October 22nd, 1882. (from http://darwin-online.org.uk/recollections.html)

  4. The society later merged with the Vegetarian Society as its London branch in 1885 but again separated as the London Vegetarian Society in 1888.

  5. They were reprinted later in five volumes of books with the title of Medical Essays (1887–1893).

  6. The Royal College of Physicians also unregistered his licentiateship the same year.

  7. In this article I intentionally adopt this perspective, rather than the perspective of public health, as my focus is on changes and trends in terms of the intellectual history of hygiene, rather than social or medical discourses on public health itself.

  8. This article was anonymously written: (1843). The Poor-Law Commission and Boards of Health. Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal, s1-5, 292–293, p.292.

  9. This review was anonymously written: (1866). Reviews and Bibliographical Notices. New York Medical Journal, 4(20), 131–132, pp. 131.

  10. Hygiene was indeed one of the most fundamental concepts on which various types of purgative or laxative medications and practices were grounded (Whorton, 2000).

  11. Although this journal ran for only eleven issues in total, it was the only periodical on hydropathy published in Britain in the period spanning the 1850s to the 1880s. Whether Lane was involved in the publication of the journal is unclear. Lane did not contribute any article or letter to it, and he only once advertised his 1859 book in the journal.

  12. The article was anonymously written: (1868). To Our Readers. The Hydropathic Record and Journal of the Water Cure, 1(1), 1–2, p. 1.

  13. An anonymous article shows this inclination: (1869). Our Specialty. The Hydorpahtic Record and Journal of the Water Cure, 1(4), 65–66.

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  1. Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea

    Min Bae

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Bae, M. Locating hygienic medicine within the intellectual history of hygiene: cases of E. W. Lane and T. R. Allinson. HPLS 44, 51 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40656-022-00529-4

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