From Sainthood to Sickness: The Medicalization of Anorexia, presented by The Health Museum and Rice University’s graduate student Els Woudstra, will bridge from the conception of anorexia as a modern disease to its historical roots in religious self-starvation. During this discussion, Ms. Woudstra will review the history of this eating disorder by exploring case studies that highlight the medicalization of anorexia, self-starvation, and the early religious interpretation of medicalization of anorexia. Case studies such as medical observations of the ‘Derbyshire Damsel’ by John Reynolds, The medicalization of anorexia in Richard Morton’s Phthisiologia, and A Treatise on Consumptions twenty years later (1694) will provide attendees with historical background overview of the “modern” disease of anorexia.

In this session, attendees will be able to analyze how popular, medical texts have represented and interpreted self-starvation over time, understand and list medicalization processes from 17th century to today, and address and identify religious myths surrounding anorexia by medieval saints and contemporary online “pro-ana” communities. All attendees will have the opportunity to become familiar with anorexia’s historical background. They will understand its early religious interpretations and roots of the medicalization of anorexia.

From Sainthood to Sickness: The Medicalization of Anorexia will take place at The Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Dr. Houston, TX, 77004 on Tuesday, November 21th, 2017 from 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. Attendees can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME), Continuing Nursing Education (CNE), and Continuing Education (CEU) credits. UT Students register here: https://is.gd/HCDH4M. For additional questions about upcoming UT Health Seminars call (713) 521-1515 or visit http://www.thehealthmuseum.org/hcdh2017.