Intolerant Bodies: A Short History of Autoimmunity

This historical overview traces the evolution of medical understanding regarding disease, specifically the emergence of the concept of autoimmunity. It highlights an early focus on nervous irritability and humoral imbalances in the 18th and 19th centuries, transitioning to bacteriological and biochemical explanations by the early 20th century, which initially resisted the idea of the body attacking itself. The text then details how key experiments and discoveries after World War II, particularly concerning conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, solidified autoimmunity as a recognized medical field. It also explores the philosophical and societal impact of this evolving understanding on patients' perceptions of self and illness.You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/book_shelterGet the Book now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Intolerant-Bodies-History-Autoimmunity-Biographies/dp/142141533X?&linkCode=ll1&tag=cvthunderx-20&linkId=ca535318e6debce61e2d5c4dadade6de&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlProduced by Podcai Studio:https://www.podcaistudio.com/