Meet The Author: The Apothecary’s Wife

Join Karen Bloom Gevirtz (daughter of our members, Susan and Steven Bloom) as she discusses her book, The Apothecary’s Wife:  The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became A Commodity.  This book was named by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best non-fiction books of 2024, “A lively medical, scientific, and economic history.”

The running joke in Europe for centuries was that anyone in a hurry to die should see a physician. And yet between 1650 and 1750, doctors became the trusted medical authority and women, who had treated the ill and injured for centuries, became the unreliable, even dangerous caregiver. The Apothecary’s Wife: The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became a Commodity explains how this incredible reversal took place, transforming medicine from household goods into something to be bought and sold – and sometimes priced out of reach.

Karen Bloom Gevirtz writes about the history of science. After 30 years as an English professor, she left the academy and publishes for a general audience. The author of four books and the co-editor of one, she is internationally recognized for her research and has been interviewed by the BBC, Talk Radio Europe, the Wall Street Journal, and Huffpost.  She can be found at www.karenbloomgevirtz.com.