Ryan Begin
10/19/04
Cholera’s Role in the Establishment of the America’s Medical Community
The Cholera Years, written by Charles E. Rosenberg argues the foundation of integrity in the medical community by use of the 1832, 1849 and 1866 cholera epidemics in the United States. Throughout the text Rosenberg details the effect that the medical community had on evolving views of cholera. This historical text reflects the changing opinions of the Americans towards the medical community which is brought upon by the scientific community’s ability to produce legitimate results. He provides a submersion into the time period by introducing opposing theories to the cause of the epidemics and the wide ranging effects of cholera on the United States. Rosenberg makes use of well documented historical data to conclusively prove his argument. In the progression of his argument Rosenberg makes negligible assumptions that are all nearly of them are documented within his text.
The underlying argument in The Cholera Years is the rise of the medical community’s credibility through the cholera epidemics of 1832, 1849 and 1866. Rosenberg’s argument is best represented in his quote that “The organization and achievements of the Metropolitan Board exerted a lasting influence; in the history of public health in the United States, there is no date more important than 1866, no even more significant than the organization of the Metropolitan Board of Health. For the first time, an American community had successfully organized itself to conquer an epidemic”. In this quote Rosenberg is explicitly stating the significance of the medical community’s involvement in the cholera epidemic. This involvement led to the rise in credibility of the medical community in the United States.
Although there is only one central argument, Rosenberg also makes some less significant arguments throughout his text. These secondary arguments are not prevalent to his main argument that the cholera epidemics were pivotal to the establishment of the medical community’s credibility. An example of a secondary argument is seen in the text in the purposed idea that cholera is a contagious disease. These types of secondary arguments are effectively supported and add historical value to the text.
Rosenberg adds credibility to his argument by being thorough in documenting his references, but there are still underlying assumptions. The bulk of the assumptions made are not essential to his argument which preserves the reliability of his historical work. An example of this type of assumption is that during the 1832 epidemic Rosenberg suggest that the influx of cholera originated in Canada. When researching his references Rosenberg notes in his footnote that the documentation that he quotes actually points out the contrary. This argument, although weak is irrelevant to Rosenberg’s fundamental argument which maintains the effectiveness of his text.
His historical work also showed that throughout the outbreaks Americans lost faith in the scientific and medical communities. This faith was only restored through the scientific and medical communities’ ability to produce substantial results. Rosenberg’s comprehensive text of cholera in New York City supports his argument that cholera, a disease of the poor and the sinful changed the way Americans perceived the medical community.
Charles E. Rosenberg, The Cholera Years (Chicago, The University of Chicago Press: 1987)
Rosenberg p.193
Rosenberg p.198
Rosenberg p.25
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