Historical Discourses on Fevers

Abstract

Fevers have been prevalent in every society since early times, and hence the history of fevers, to a certain extent, is also the history of medicine. As it is obvious that fevers are not a homogeneous category, their classification and distinction during different periods can explain the discourse on fevers during those times. The present chapter attempts to trace the history of fevers, their prevalent types, and the theories and the treatment followed in Western society since the sixteenth century, which is used as a pretext to understanding the Indian experience of fevers since the nineteenth century. This was the context for analysing the history of fever care in the state of Kerala during the 1990s when the ‘epidemics’ of fever struck the state. This historical inquiry also demonstrates the history of medical care and public health in the Indian subcontinent, especially in the state of Kerala. The history of public health and medical care reveals the distinction in approaches between the two, and the tension in terms of their interaction and areas of operation attains greater significance even in the current context when there is a blurring of boundaries of these two related disciplines. Further, the international influences in public health interventions were also significant then, and remain so even today.