Making a Medical Living: Doctors and Patients in the English Market for Medicine, 1720–1911

by Anne Digby

Making a Medical Market begins with the first voluntary hospital in 1720 and ends in 1911 with national health insurance. It looks at different forms of practice--public appointments in hospitals, office under state welfare systems, and private practice. From the 1750s medicine became more commercialized. Doctors were successful in raising demand for their own services but were unsuccessful in restricting competition. Many medical practitioners struggled to make a living by seeing many patients at low fees, so that "five minutes for the patient" is not a new feature of health care.

372 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Anne Digby is a popular British children's author, best known for her fourteen-book Trebizon series, set at a large boarding school. In addition to her own Trebizon books, Digby has contributed new volumes to Enid Blyton's Naughtiest Girl series.