One hundred years of American medicine…

A special section of American Heritage considers the trials, glories, and failures of the healing art as it has been, and is, practiced in this country. To begin with, we ask, What was it like being sick a hundred years ago? Charles Rosenberg describes what was likely to happen when doctors were few, far apart, and not very knowledgeable. … Then we take up the story today: Oliver Allen interviews Dr. David E. Rogers, former dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who tells us what is wrong and right with medicine now and the very sophisticated technology it depends upon … Dr. William Bennett describes the birth and evolution of one of our greatest hospitals, Massachusetts General … and Bernard Weisberger tells the ghastly story of a yellow fever epidemic that broke out along the Mississippi in 1878.

The purpose of war

is to destroy bodies, the purpose of medicine to heal them. … In an illustrated story, we consider how, during the last six wars in whieh America has been engaged, these opposing skills have approached a balance. … In “The Prizewinners” we explore the reasons that have led to Americans winning more Nobel Prizes in medicine than scientists from any other country.

Plus…

David Brinkley, who should know, tells us what he has learned about the difference between history and journalism … lavishly pictured explorations of such diverse matters as miniature painting and the art of ballooning in the nineteenth century … and beyond this, a surprise story by Bruce Catton.