This free course, Health, disease and society: Scottish influence in the 19th century, examines the role that Scots played in contributing to the developments in healthcare during the nineteenth century. The radical transformation of medicine in Europe included the admission of women as doctors and the increased numbers of specialised institutions such as asylums. Such developments were also influenced by wider social, economic, political and cultural backgrounds these are also examined.

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• describe the Scottish contributions to the history of medical thinking and practice in the nineteenth century
• give examples of many medical advances that were influenced by wider social, economic, political and cultural contexts
• understand how developments in medical education permitted women to qualify and practise as doctors
• appreciate that the laboratory had a limited impact on medical practice until the twentieth century
• describe the status of medical practitioners in Europe during the nineteenth century.