NEW YORK CITY, Feb. 25– The Giant Hospital: Besieged Paris in the Modern War Era Lecture, second in a four part lecture series hosted by History of Medicine and Public Health at the Academy, explored how and why Paris became one of the key centers of medical learning in 1870. Speaker Bernard Taithe, Professor of Cultural History, University of Manchester explained how the siege of Paris was an essential event on the international stage as medical staff from many nations participated for the first time in the humanitarian work of the Red Cross.

“The Franco-Prussian war brought to the attention of the world to the suffering of civilians. In 1870 we saw movements towards what is now called the Red Cross, appear in such diverse countries as Japan and Mexico as well as other areas,” said Taithe.

Two million soldiers and civilians had to survive within the walls of the French capital city. Paris was then one of the key centers of medical learning and its public hospital system was the most comprehensive in France. Soon, however, private hospitals, 'ambulances' and evacuation systems multiplied under the newly established flag of the Red Cross and Paris turned into a giant hospital.

“The siege of Paris is called by many, an era of physical, mental, and moral regression. This picture is very evocative of the sense everybody has, that the war threw them back to the past of epidemic, hygienic situation, and also of hunger. This is very clearly analyzed by the medical body of that time, and is important to look at comparison of current times,” said Taithe.

For more information on the Medicine in Wartime Lecture Series sponsored by the Section on the History of Medicine and Public Health, please visit:www.nyam.org/events

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Posted on 02/25/2008

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