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The nurse of parasites: gender concepts in Patrick Manson's parasitological research

Shang-Jen Li1

  • 1Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115-29, Taiwan, shangli@pluto.ihp.sinica.edu.tw

Journal of the History of Biology
|June 8, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Patrick Manson

Area of Science:

  • Tropical medicine
  • Parasitology
  • History of science

Background:

  • Patrick Manson's discovery of the mosquito as the intermediate host for filarial parasites.
  • Manson's unique terminology, referring to the mosquito as a "nurse" for the filarial worm.
  • The historical context of 19th-century biological research on reproduction and sexual division of labor.

Discussion:

  • Analyzing Manson's "nurse" concept within 19th-century theories of nature's economy.
  • Interpreting Manson's framing of mosquito-parasite relations through the lens of colonial domestic arrangements.
  • Exploring the intersection of medical concerns regarding European women's reproduction in the tropics and parasitic reproduction studies.

Key Insights:

  • Manson's "nurse" nomenclature for mosquitoes was influenced by 19th-century concepts of sexual division of labor.
  • The framing of the mosquito-parasite relationship reflects colonial household dynamics.
  • Manson's work highlights the interplay between tropical medicine, parasitology, and societal views on reproduction.

Outlook:

  • Further research into the historical influences on scientific nomenclature in parasitology.
  • Investigating the broader impact of colonial contexts on early tropical medicine research.
  • Understanding how societal norms shape scientific understanding of reproduction and disease vectors.

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