CLA232H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Reproductive Health, Physis, Soranus Of Ephesus
Document Summary
Tries to explain medicine based on physis but nomos creeps in. Works try to focus on sex/biology but influenced by gender. Aristotle greek living in athens in 4th century. Galen greek from asia minor, writing in 2nd century a. d. (after roman rule) Female health = reproductive health, similar to today (ie. in us women"s doctor = obgyn) Hysteria caused by wondering womb, continued to 19th century. Male body is norm and female body is the oddity, still continues. In texts, male doctors inquiring into female body. Male self = observer, female body = the observed. 331, both have sperm but female"s are passive and need male sperm to activate. Male writers, writing for male males so use strange metaphors they will understand. Male doctors need females to tell them what"s wrong (bit can"t b/c not rational) and doctors cant proceed as if treating male: female = exotic specimen. Women ask and advise each other about their sicknesses.
