Charles V. Roman and the Spectre of Polygenism in Progressive Era Public Health Research

This article explores how polygenist carryovers made their way into early twentieth-century medical and public health studies on the links between race and venereal disease during the American social hygiene movement (1910–40). It also recovers the work of the African-American physician, ethicist, and social hygienist, Dr Charles V. Roman, who stressed during this period that the idea of common human ancestry should push public health researchers to think more creatively and critically about the social and environmental factors shaping health outcomes and black susceptibility to sexual diseases.

Source: Social History of Medicine - October 28, 2015 Category: History of Medicine Authors: Keel, T. D. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research