To Comfort Always: A history of palliative medicine since the nineteenth century

David Clark

Personal Profile: Sign in
or Create

Oxford Medicine Online

My Content (0)
Recently viewed (0)

Save Entry

My Searches (0)
Recently viewed (0)

Save Search

To Comfort Always: A history of palliative medicine since the nineteenth century

David Clark

Abstract

Palliative medicine was first recognized as a specialist field in the United Kingdom in 1987. One hundred years earlier, the London-based doctor William Munk had published a treatise on ‘easeful death’ that mapped out the principles of practical, spiritual, and medical support at the end of life. In the intervening years a major process of development took place, which led to innovative services, new approaches to the study and relief of pain and other distressing symptoms, a growing interest in ‘holistic’ care for those with advanced disease, and a desire to gain more recognition for end-of-life care. This book traces the history of palliative medicine, from its nineteenth-century origins, to its modern practice around the world today. It takes in the changing meaning of ‘euthanasia’; assesses the role of religious and philanthropic organizations in the creation of homes for the dying; and explores how twentieth-century doctors created a special focus on the care of those for whom cure or recovery is not possible. To Comfort Always traces the rise of clinical studies, academic programmes, and international collaborations to promote palliative care. It examines the continuing need to provide evidence in support of development and assesses the dilemmas of unequal access to services and pain-relieving drugs, as well as the periodic accusations of creeping medicalization within the field. The first history of its kind, it concludes with some reflections on the achievements of palliative medicine to date and the challenges that remain.

Bibliographic Information

Publisher:: Oxford University Press

Print Publication Date:: Oct 2016

Print ISBN-13:: 9780199674282

Published online:: Nov 2016

DOI:: 10.1093/med/9780199674282.001.0001

Author

David Clark, author Professor of Medical Sociology, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.

Oxford University Press

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2020. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 03 December 2020

Browse All

Browse All

Browse All

To Comfort Always: A history of palliative medicine since the nineteenth century

David Clark

Abstract

Bibliographic Information

Author

Contents

Browse All

Browse All

Browse All

Recently viewed (0)

Recently viewed (0)

To Comfort Always: A history of palliative medicine since the nineteenth century

David Clark

Abstract

Bibliographic Information

Author

Contents