The concept of specific receptors for drugs, hormones and transmitters lies at the very heart of biomedicine. This book is the first to consider the idea from its 19th century originsin the work of John Newport Langley and Paul Ehrlich, to its development of during the 20th century and its current impact on drug discovery in the 21st century."

Medical ethics in Imperial Germany were entangled with professional, legal and social issues. This book shows how doctors ethical decision-making was led by their notions of male honor, professional politics and a paternalistic doctor-patient relationship rather than concern for patients interests or the right of the sick to self-determination.

Medical confidentiality is an essential cornerstone of effective public health systems, and for centuries societies have struggled to maintain the illusion of absolute privacy. In this age of health databases and increasing connectedness, however, the confidentiality of patient information is rapidly becoming a concern at the forefront of worldwide ethical and political debate.

In Contesting Medical Confidentiality, Andreas-Holger Maehle travels back to the origins of this increasingly relevant issue. He offers the first comparative analysis of professional and public debates on...