Morbid Undercurrents: Medical Subcultures in Postrevolutionary France

In Morbid Undercurrents, Sean M. Quinlan explores how medical ideas evolved during the French Revolution and its aftermath, becoming politicized and inspiring various subcultures. He argues that medicine's place and authority evolved in response to the dislocation produced by the Revolution, becoming a subversive, radical, and ideologically charged force in French society.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2021
Publisher: Cornell University Press

In his captivating book, "Morbid Undercurrents," Sean M. Quinlan delves into the intricate and fascinating relationship between medical ideas and the intellectual landscape of the French Revolution and its aftermath. This period marked a remarkable era of innovation and exploration, as doctors and scientists pushed the boundaries of their fields, venturing into areas such as forensic investigation, evolutionary biology, and more. Their groundbreaking discoveries and theories captivated the public imagination, sparking a surge of interest in medicine and science.

However, the politicization of medicine during the 1790s and beyond brought about a profound transformation. It moved beyond the confines of universities, hospitals, and learned societies, becoming deeply intertwined with politics and inspiring a diverse range of subcultures. Quinlan meticulously reconstructs the ethos of this time, exploring the intricate web of medicine and pornography, efforts to create a natural history of women, the proliferation of sex manuals and books on family hygiene, anatomical projects to sculpt antique bodies, the craze for physiognomic self-help books that taught readers to identify social and political types in post-revolutionary Paris, the use of physiological medicine as a literary genre, and the mesmerist renaissance with its heated debates over animal magnetism and somnambulism.

Through his meticulous reconstruction, Quinlan argues that the place and authority of medicine evolved, in part, as a response to the acute sense of dislocation produced by the Revolution. "Morbid Undercurrents" sheds light on how medicine then became a subversive, radical, and ideologically charged force in French society, challenging the established norms and hierarchies. It is a captivating exploration of the complex interplay between medicine, politics, and culture during a pivotal period in history.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501758331