Who Controls Women’s Health?: A Century of Struggle | Get Me Out: Childbirth in Early 20th Century NYC

Although the development of germ theory in the 1880s shed light on the origins of childbed fever, which often killed women in the days after delivery, not much could be done to save lives until the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s. In the first program in our series, Who Controls Women’s Health?: A Century of Struggle, medical writer Randi Hutter Epstein explores the approaches taken in the interim by doctors, medical charlatans, and feminist activists, which demonstrate what can happen when the origins of a condition are debated, and its cure unknown.

Following her lecture, Epstein will be joined in conversation by Peter Schafer, Acting Director of Family Health and Disparities at the New York Academy of Medicine.

Who Controls Women’s Health?: A Century of Struggle is a free, three-part talk series that examines key battles over women’s ability to control their bodies, health choices, and fertility. It is developed in collaboration with the Museum of the City of New York and supported by a grant from the Humanities New York.











When: Tue., Aug. 22, 2017 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Ave.
212-822-7200
Price: Free, reservation required
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Although the development of germ theory in the 1880s shed light on the origins of childbed fever, which often killed women in the days after delivery, not much could be done to save lives until the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s. In the first program in our series, Who Controls Women’s Health?: A Century of Struggle, medical writer Randi Hutter Epstein explores the approaches taken in the interim by doctors, medical charlatans, and feminist activists, which demonstrate what can happen when the origins of a condition are debated, and its cure unknown.

Following her lecture, Epstein will be joined in conversation by Peter Schafer, Acting Director of Family Health and Disparities at the New York Academy of Medicine.

Who Controls Women’s Health?: A Century of Struggle is a free, three-part talk series that examines key battles over women’s ability to control their bodies, health choices, and fertility. It is developed in collaboration with the Museum of the City of New York and supported by a grant from the Humanities New York.

Buy tickets/get more info now