Germs and governance

Germs and governance brings together leading historians, practitioners and policymakers to consider the past, present and future of hospital infection control. Combining historical case studies with practitioner experiences, this volume offers a new understanding of the emergence of theories of germ transmission and containment and how these theories played out in real-world environments, networks and professional organisations. Exploring the historical context in which technologies like gloves were developed and popularised, as well as how relationships between communities and hospitals, doctors and nurses, and the emerging role of hospital bacteriologists have shaped infection control practices, the collection emphasises the diverse contexts in which ideas about germs, infection and safety circulated. It addresses the historical neglect of the critical role of nurses in infection control, arguing that nurses represent a touchstone for understanding the development and success of infection control measures. Moving beyond the linear narratives of discovery, milestones and prominent figures found in earlier accounts of hospital infection, this interdisciplinary collection makes use of a variety of methodological approaches, including health services research, historical analysis and economic, sociological and anthropological exploration of key words, concepts and attitudes.