Matthias Blanarsch

The Relationship between Physician and Patient in the Early 18^th Century Based on Research into Johann Storch’s Case Studies on Mole Pregnancies

This paper describes the physician-patient relationship in early modern Thuringia. Its main historical source are a hundred patient records concerning ‘mole pregnancies’. The physician Johann Storch (1681-1751) published these records in 1749. Firstly, the quantitative exploration shows that among his patients were not only wealthy people but also wives of craftsmen and day labourers. The paper explores the conceptual history of mole pregnancies since Hippocrates’ times. It also describes the social role of healers and patients and addresses the issue of god’s role. Although theoretical works of the time emphasize the important role of god, he does not feature strongly in the patient records investigated. The body image of Storch’s patients is also thematised in the paper. Storch and his patients had the same perception of body and illness. Unlike today, physicians and patients shared similar notions about illness and healing.

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