A fascinating and accessible exploration of how the past has, and will continue to, influence modern medicine. The author managed to navigate around the topics without ever disparaging either traditional practices or contemporary methods.

A 4.5 star read. The Apothecary’s Wife is a well-researched and told non-fiction book about women’s role in medicine.
It is informative and engaging and leaves you with perspectives to consider when looking at the way medicine is today.

A must-read for anyone remotely interested in the interplay of woman, healing, and the history medicine.
Before modern medicine, what existed? The answer was ‘recipes’ handed down from mother to daughter. These recipes the result of trial and error, where a remedy that worked was worth recording. Intriguing, many of these herbal or herbaceous remedies had their roots (excuse the pun) in efficacy. For example, willow bark was administered for pain relief; and willow bark contains acetyl salicylic acid – better known as aspirin.
Ms Gevirtz reveals a fascinating world where, pre Scientific Revolution, these recipes were considered public property. Women gladly helped neighbours and the wider community, and shared their recipes to do this. This is contrasted later in the book with the discovery and patenting of insulin – available only to those that can afford it.
Ms Gervirtz charts how healing undertaken by women for free, was usurped by men who took medicines out of the kitchen and into the laboratory. As a result of the Scientific Revolution, by the mid 1770s the kitchen garden belonged to women, whilst the physic garden was a male preserve. As men began to realise they could make money from medicine, what had been free now cost money. Medicine had become a commodity. And to protect that commodity men further disenfranchised the female healers by the use of technical language and prescriptions written in cyphers.
But please don’t misunderstand. This is not a feminist or man-hating book. It is an account of a fascinating period in history when there was a seed change from free, community healing, to medicine for those that could pay.
I have no hesitation in highly recommending this readable book, perhaps best summed up in the words of William Harvey “What was once a science is now a trade.”
ARC received in exchange for an honest, unbiased review

Very well researched and presented - showing the history of medicine, and how the division between physicians and apothecaries became blurred, as well as the way that medicine went from being a shared domestic resource (mainly handled by women) to a commodity (mainly handled by men). It was really interesting seeing how the Scientific Revolution changed the way recipes/prescriptions were developed, the use of spin in the eighteenth century, and the way a quack was unmasked.

The book delves into the fascinating story of how eighteenth-century women incorporated the Scientific Revolution into their daily lives, shedding light on the pivotal role they played in transforming the way people approached medicine. It also explores how the Scientific Revolution catalyzed the shift from homemade remedies to professionally prescribed medications, a transformation that had far-reaching consequences for the healthcare system.

For centuries, the notion that anyone in a hurry to die should call the doctor was a running joke in Europe. Historically, physicians were notorious for administering painful and often fatal treatments and charging handsomely for their services. In contrast, women in people's lives were often the go-to source for effective treatments. This system persisted for hundreds of years before being replaced in less than a century.

The book reveals that the Scientific Revolution fundamentally altered the concept of medicine, transforming it from a household item to a commodity to be bought and sold. This shift led to the development of a for-profit healthcare system, which replaced the traditional system of women's domestic medicine. The current system is not natural, eternal, or inevitable; rather, it was created by people making specific choices and taking certain actions.

This book is not only a history of medicine but also an examination of the economic system that emerged around the circulation of medications as commodities. It is a critical analysis of one aspect of the development of Western capitalism, which has multiple strains.

The author is not anti-science, anti-medication, or anti-"modern" medications. Instead, the book offers a nuanced understanding of the past and its relevance to the present, allowing readers to make informed choices about the healthcare system.

The book is written in an accessible and engaging style, making it an enjoyable read for anyone interested in history, medicine, or the social and economic context of healthcare.

Conceptionally this is a well written book, with an interesting focal topic. As someone who is both female, and works in the medical profession after studying an msc in genomic medicine, I was immediately eager to see what light this book would shed on female involvement in medicine through the ages.

The author is the perfect person for this job and her passion for this topic clearly shows through the writing; Karen Gevirtz specialises in the history of science and medicine (alongside gender studies). I was intrigued to see what her proffessional background brought to the topic and wasn't disappointed. It's clear that the author has done her research well; leaning on a variety of different materials created by both men and woman (so as to give an unbiased view). It's also important to note that this book is not trying to be against men, or our current medical system, rather is just sharing the journey and story of woman's involvement in medicine. It is a non-judgemental read, that doesn't advocate for one thing or the other which makes it an easier pill to swallow (sorry, couldn't resist!). There are some areas that I felt unsure on, but the author is clear on advising that 'the book is mine, the history is shared, and the choices are yours.' - I enjoyed forming my own opinions on the evidence that she presented and she includes references at the back.

My only bugbear is a personal one and shouldn't dissaude you from reading; I'm used to reading these kind of topics from a more medical standpoint, and I feel this leans more towards history/story telling style of writing which made it hard for me to engage at points. I think this will appeal to a greater variety of readers however; those who don't tend to read factual books will appreciate the ease and story telling beauty with which Karen explains the topics, and those who are interested in science, are presented with a great starting board to then go delve off more deeply into areas that interest them.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

The history of medicine is absolutely fascinating, and Gevirtz certainly proves this with her (sometimes overly) academic text. I do feel this book could have been structured in a different way, but that's my only complaint.

This book gives the history of to how we got to our current situation with for-profit medicine. It is very well researched and really causes pause for thought. I love it when the author writes, “The book is mine, the history is shared, and the choices are yours.”. I’ll definitely think more about my choices going forward.
#TheApothecarysWife #NetGalley

This book filled a niche I didn't know I needed! Loved learning the history of apothecaries and how medicines have evolved, very well researched and presented.