The Fevered Fight: Medical History of the American Revolution, 1775-1783

by Martin R Howard

Overview

The American Revolutionary War, fought two hundred fifty years ago between Britain‘s North American colonies and the British colonial government, was a conflict of global significance. It had a profound influence on the history of the United States, Britain, and the wider world, and an enormous body of literature has been devoted to the subject. Yet there is no comprehensive account of the military medicine practiced during the war, which is why this thorough, graphic, and highly readable study by Martin Howard is so timely and valuable. His account describes the medical story of the War between Lexington and Yorktown in absorbing detail. He covers the key military events, the medicine and surgery of the period, and the medical departments of the opposing armies. The narrative is enriched by the vivid eyewitness testimonies of soldiers, doctors, and civilians. Previously neglected topics such as biological warfare and the impact of disease on black soldiers and the Native American population are explored. The human toll of epidemic disease had a significant impact on the outcome of the war and vital lessons were learned. The war was associated with improvements in military medicine and the professionalization of American medicine. Martin Howard‘s ambitious work will be stimulating reading for all students of the American Revolutionary War, particularly those with a special interest in the history of medicine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399084826
Publisher:	Naval Institute Press
Publication date:	08/15/2023
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Martin Howard is a former hospital consultant and honorary visiting professor at the University of York. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Pathologists and of the Royal Historical Society. His main interest in is eighteenth and nineteenth century warfare, with a particular focus on the human dimension of these conflicts and the lesser-known campaigns.  

Editorial Reviews

"Martin R. Howard’s The Fevered Fight: A Medical History of the American Revolution, 1775-1783 is a comprehensive account of the role that health care played in the Revolutionary War. A hospital consultant and accomplished historian, Howard brings a wealth of knowledge to this study. He examines both the British and the American sides of the Revolution as well as French and German efforts, and he offers insights on each of the major battles of the war. This is not a thesis-driven book, yet it is remarkably readable and full of important information that will complement anyone’s knowledge of the Revolution....The Fevered Fight is an excellent introduction to Revolutionary health care and makes this volume necessary reading for anyone wanting to fully comprehend the War for American Independence."—Journal of the American Revolution

"Military strategy and combat actions primarily comprise warfare accounts by military historians. Martin R. Howard argues in his new, one-of-a-kind book, Fevered Fight: Medical History of the American Revolution 1775-1783, that the practice of medicine can be equally crucial to military success or failure. Uniquely, he presents the medical history of the American Revolution, interleaving into one narrative the American and British military medical establishments and practices. Penning a wide-ranging survey, Howard includes information on Hessian, French, Naval, and Native American disease and combat care, where available. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a former medical clinician, Howard has the technical background to correctly interpret the impact of disease and medicine on armies and military campaigns...demonstrating impressive research and clinical expertise, the two-hundred-page monograph provides a vivid overview of the competing armies’ medical staffs and is chocked full of eyewitness accounts by physicians and patients."—Researching the American Revolution

From the Publisher