Germs and Governance - (Social Histories of Medicine) by Anne Marie Rafferty & Marguerite Dupree & Fay Bound Alberti (Paperback)

About the Book

This book addresses global concerns about microbial resistance. Combining historical case studies and first-hand practitioner accounts, it offers insights beyond current literature. Contributions from leading scholars, practitioners and policy makers explore outbreaks of MRSA and compare infection control measures in different case-study contexts.

Book Synopsis

Germs and governance brings together leading historians, practitioners and policy makers to consider the past, present and future of hospital infection control. Combining historical case-studies with practitioner experiences, this volume offers a new understanding of the emergence of theories of germ transmission and containment and how these theories played out in real-world environments, networks and professional organisations.

Exploring the historical context in which technologies like gloves were developed and popularised, as well as how relationships between communities and hospitals, doctors and nurses, and the emerging role of hospital bacteriologists have shaped infection control practices, the collection emphasises the diverse contexts in which ideas about germs, infection and safety circulated. The volume also addresses the historical neglect of the critical role of nurses in the development and success of infection control measures.

From the Back Cover

Germs and governance brings together leading historians, practitioners and policymakers to consider the past, present and future of hospital infection control. Combining historical case studies with practitioner experiences, this volume offers a new understanding of the emergence of theories of germ transmission and containment and how these theories played out in real-world environments, networks and professional organisations.

Exploring the historical context in which technologies like gloves were developed and popularised, as well as how relationships between communities and hospitals, doctors and nurses, and the emerging role of hospital bacteriologists have shaped infection control practices, the collection emphasises the diverse contexts in which ideas about germs, infection and safety circulated. It addresses the historical neglect of the critical role of nurses in infection control, arguing that nurses represent a touchstone for understanding the development and success of infection control measures.

Moving beyond the linear narratives of discovery, milestones and prominent figures found in earlier accounts of hospital infection, this interdisciplinary collection makes use of a variety of methodological approaches, including health services research, historical analysis and economic, sociological and anthropological exploration of key words, concepts and attitudes.

Review Quotes

'Germs and governance brings together a diverse array of scholars to give the topic its due attention, presented here as a series of eleven articles, framed by an introduction and incisive conclusion... Ultimately, it is this call for - and demonstration of - such cross-disciplinary approaches to an enduring hospital and societal concern that makes this a particularly useful volume for historians, clinicians, and policymakers alike.'
Scott H. Podolsky, Social History of Medicine

'Limitations to control of infections originating in hospitals have long been evident. Antibiotic-resistant organisms and their ability to transfer associated genes are increasingly problematic, and this rise of so-called superbugs alarms health care professionals on a global scale. Including contributions from medical historians, infection control specialists, and policy makers, this book presents the methods from past to present that have been and still are used to minimize the spread of infections in hospitals, providing some insight into where infection control improvements can be made. The book is organized into five parts, each comprising a historical chapter and an updating one: policy, medical training, clinical practice, control in the laboratory, and projections for future control of antibiotic resistance, especially given the threats posed by such bacteria as MRSA (staph) and Clostridium. The editors summarize current challenges for key players in a jointly authored conclusion. A great read, this book should appeal to everyone involved in health care at all stages of their careers, including bacteriologists, caregivers, and especially administrators, and will reinforce understanding of the longstanding importance of prevention and control of infection. Although many examples and data sets were collected in the UK, the book is relatable to health care systems everywhere.
--M. C. Pavao, Worcester State University
Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.
Reprinted with permission from Choice Reviews. All rights reserved. Copyright by the American Library Association.

About the Author

Professor Dame Anne Marie Rafferty CBE is Professor of Nursing Policy at King's College London and President of the Royal College of Nursing
Marguerite Dupree is Professor Emeritus of Social and Medical History at the University of Glasgow and Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge

Fay Bound Alberti is Professor of Modern History and Director of the Centre for Technology and the Body at King's College London