Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database

The Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database is an intriguing concept. According to the site, it "is an annotated bibliography of prose, poetry, film, video and art which was developed . . . for use in health/pre-health and liberal arts settings." The authors featured include Louisa May Alcott, Isabel Allende, Emile Zola, and many more. The entry on Louisa May Alcott outlines the work where she's written about medical matters (she worked at a hospital during the Civil War and wrote about the experiences). There is also a link to the online text. After summarising her work, the entry puts it in context, explaining that she was part of a hotly debated experiment that saw women caring for soldiers. Some people felt that women shouldn't be doing this as they would spend too much time fainting or flirting to be good workers. There's a lot to browse through on this site, and it highlights a part of literature that I had not previously thought to consider. Via Apothecary's Drawer.