Surgical consent: negotiating gynaecological operations in the John Hopkins Hospital, ca. 1890-1910

 Abstract

The end of the nineteenth century witnessed the global rise of gynecology as a surgical discipline. Gynecologists gained confidence in the therapeutical benefits of abdominal surgery and often succeeded in winning the trust of their patients. As a result, a growing number of patients consented to surgery, even though the risks of death and lasting complications remained high. This paper examines the consent of women who underwent major operations in the Johns Hopkins Hospital around 1900. How can we understand their agency in a context where negotiations between doctors and patients were characterized by paternalism and power imbalances?