Wars and sweets: microbes, medicines and other moderns in and beyond the(ir) antibiotic era

Area of Science:

• Medical Humanities
• Sociology of Science
• History of Medicine

Background:

• Modern society once envisioned a germ-free future, but now faces threats from antimicrobial resistance and viruses.
• The current approach to combating microbes is often framed as a "war," involving surveillance, rational drug use, and investment in medical technologies.
• This militaristic framing is increasingly challenged by a growing opposition that critiques the medicalization and pharmaceuticalization of daily life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically re-examine the dominant narratives and practices of the antibiotic era.
• To expose the entanglement of scientific, clinical, economic, political, and military discourses within antimicrobial strategies.
• To challenge the prevailing "aseptic dream" by offering a playful redescription of the historical and ongoing antimicrobial "wars."

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of scientific, clinical, economic, political, and military discourse surrounding the antibiotic era.
• Critical redescription of the historical development and contemporary practices of antimicrobial interventions.
• Exploration of the metaphorical language and "warspeak" used in medical and public health contexts.

Main Results:

• The study reveals a deep entanglement between objective scientific descriptions, clinical practices, economic strategies, political mandates, and military orders in the context of antimicrobial efforts.
• It highlights how the "Great anti-Microbial Wars" (the antibiotic era) have been shaped by both triumphs and devastations, often obscured by militaristic rhetoric.
• The research demonstrates that the perceived dichotomy between "us" (humans) and "them" (microbes) is a construct reinforced by this martial framing.

Conclusions:

• The paper concludes that the militaristic framing of the antibiotic era is not merely a rhetorical device but a deeply embedded structure influencing medical practices and societal perceptions.
• It suggests that moving beyond the "aseptic dream" requires a fundamental re-evaluation of our relationship with microbes and the language we use to describe our interventions.
• The study advocates for a more nuanced understanding of antimicrobial challenges, moving away from perpetual warfare towards alternative paradigms.