The colonial disease : a social history of sleeping sickness in northern Zaire, 1900-1940 / Maryinez Lyons.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lyons, Maryinez, author.

Series:

Cambridge studies in the history of medicine.

Cambridge studies in the history of medicine

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

African trypanosomiasis--Congo (Democratic Republic)--History.

African trypanosomiasis.

Social medicine--Congo (Democratic Republic)--History.

Social medicine.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 335 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Belgians commonly referred to their colonisation of the Congo as a 'civilising mission', and many regarded the introduction of western bio-medicine as a central feature of their 'gift' to Africans. By 1930, however, it was clear that some features of their 'civilising mission' were in fact closely connected to the poor health of many of the Congolese. The Europeans had indeed brought scientific enquiry and western bio-medicine; but they had also introduced a harsh, repressive political system which, coupled with a ruthlessly exploitative economic system, led to the introduction of new diseases while already-existing diseases were exacerbated and spread. Tropical, or 'colonial', medicine was a new field at the turn of the century, linked closely both to European expansionism and human trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness. In 1901 a devastating epidemic had erupted in Uganda, killing well over 250,000 people.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780511097966

0511097964

9780511583704

0511583702

Publisher Number:

2027/heb02627 hdl