Archaeology of American Medicine and Healthcare

Examining the dynamic histories of medical practice inthe United States through the lens of historical archaeologyIn this book,Meredith Reifschneider synthesizes archaeological research on healthcare andmedicine to show how practices in the United States have evolved since thenineteenth century. Tracing the areas of medical science and healthcareprofessionalization, alternative medicine, healthcare consumerism, and publichealth reform, Reifschneider shows how historical archaeologywhich draws on informationfrom the material record, archival sources, historical documents, andethnographic researchcan provide important insights into healthcare and modesof self-care in the past.Reifschneider analyzesarchaeological evidence uncovered from sites such as house deposits, middens,latrines, and hospital waste pits that demonstrates how official healthcare policieswere implemented in daily life, revealing a diversity of therapeutic practices connectedto social identities. The book includes a case study of the US Armys hygieneand healthcare practices at the Presidio of San Francisco, showing how soldiersengaged in practices mandated by the government while also using alternativetherapies for self-care. Throughout thebook, Reifschneider highlights structural health inequalities in the past andhow the effects of previous exclusionary policies continue to manifest in thepresent day. By examining healthcare and medicine through the lens ofarchaeology, this book demonstrates the dynamic and often unexpected histories ofmedical practice, pointing to the ways Americans experiences today reflectthese historical dynamics.A volume in theseries the American Experience in Archaeological Perspective, edited by MichaelS. Nassaney and Krysta Ryzewski