THE APOTHECARY'S WIFE The Hidden History of Medicine and How it Became a Commodity

Elisabeth Lagelee captures the author's skepticism toward the historical rise of apothecaries and physicians and the decline of home remedies. After all, the developing medical professionals used the same medicinal plants that housewives did. The author celebrates Elizabeth Blackwell, who gained a rare entry into the male-dominated physic garden, and the other women who got medicinal recipes into print. Lagelee narrates some passages from these works, including one with skull as an ingredient. She uses an elegant tone to reflect the words found within. Lagelee wraps up with a sarcastic tone as Gevirtz points out the minimal attention current medicine pays to menopause compared to the constant attention paid to erectile dysfunction. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2025]