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Iatrogenesis? Medical power and drug laws 1900–30
Author(s) -
Manderson D.R.A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
australian drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0819-5331
DOI - 10.1080/09595238880000761
Subject(s) - subordination (linguistics) , appropriation , medical prescription , power (physics) , law , medical profession , population , medicine , political science , family medicine , pharmacology , philosophy , linguistics , physics , environmental health , quantum mechanics
The article proposes to examine the development of laws making the sale of “dangerous drugs” such as heroin and cocaine illegal except on a doctor's prescription. These laws were principally a reflection of the growing power and authority of the medical profession; they signalled the defeat of the sellers of proprietary medicines and the subordination of pharmacists. The appropriation of drugs by the medical profession also took power away from the population at large and denied their right to use drugs as they chose. The medical profession thus redefined the “consumers” of drugs as “patients”.