Anglo-European Science and the Rhetoric of Empire; Malaria, Opium, and British Rule in India, 1756-1895
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: May 20, 2003
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 448
ISBN-13: 9780739105849
Subjects: Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900; History of medicine; International relations; Social history; c 1700 to c 1800; c 1800 to c 1900; Political Science; Business / Economics / Finance; History: World; Europe; India; Europe - Great Britain - General; International - General; History / General; International Relations - General; Modern - 18th Century; Modern - 19th Century; China; History; Malaria; Opium trade; Prevention
Description: "A fascinating and intricately woven tale of opium trade, evangelism, scientific discovery, and political intrigue, Anglo-European Science and the Rhetoric of Empire documents the contribution of a medical misconception to the preservation of British rule in India. British authorities, desperate to shield the India-China opium trade from the escalating criticism of Christian evangelists and missionaries, threw their weight behind the claim that opium prevented and cured malaria. This scientific validation of a vital source of revenue helped decimate the anti-opiumist movement, allowing the Indian government to vastly expand poppy cultivation in the name of both economic prosperity and public health. In this thoroughly researched and immensely readable history, author Paul C. Winther provides a revealing look at the complex and often unexpected negotiations that enable scientific authority to legitimize political and economic gain."--Jacket.