Die Geschichte der Palliativmedizin

Good medical end-of-life care and a dignified death hold great importance in our society. Even in earlier centuries, doctors and caregivers strived to spare the dying from a painful death – yet we know very little about it. This book for the first time traces the history of palliative medicine from the Renaissance to the present day. Using numerous printed and handwritten sources, it describes the long tradition of caring for the physical and emotional well-being of the dying, as well as the everyday practice at the deathbed. The author also examines the accounts of the dying and their relatives, shedding light on the handling of ethical questions that remain urgent to this day.