The Value of Medicine

Originally published in 1976, this book surveys the development of medicine through history and examines how it has related to society and the climate of opinion at different times. The main discussion, based on broad experience in the UK and Australia is what medicine’s place in the world should be and what its value to society is. Over the centuries, as medicine’s scope and scale have increased, so has its philosophy. The author argues that neither medical science nor the traditional, pastoral qualities of medicine are necessarily of unquestioned value to society. The book is a valuable contribution to debate on the role of medical services, practitioners and their education throughout the world.