Michael Ryan’s Writings on Medical Ethics

Michael Ryan (d. 1840) remains one of the most mysterious figures in the history of medical ethics, despite the fact that he was the only British physician during the middle years of the 19^th century to write about ethics in a systematic way. Michael Ryan’s Writings on Medical Ethics offers both an annotated reprint of his key ethical writings, and an extensive introductory essay that fills in many previously unknown details of Ryan’s life, analyzes the significance of his ethical works, and places him within the historical trajectory of the field of medical ethics.

• 19th century
• bioethics
• ethics
• history of medical ethics
• medical ethics
• physician
• research ethics

From the reviews:

“The work of a key figure in the history of medical ethics, Michael Ryan, is the focus of this very important book. It provides critical commentary and historical analysis as well as some of Ryan’s important texts. … This is appropriate for scholars and students in medical ethics and bioethics, philosophy of medicine, and history of medicine. This authoritative volume will advance scholarship. … This is an excellent book and a significant contribution to the field.” (Ana Smith Iltis, Doody’s Review Service, January, 2010)

“This book was produced to fill the 19^th century gap in the history of medical ethics … . One of the most interesting parts of the book for current students of medical ethics is a short debate Brody sets up with another giant of the field … . the rich historical treatment of medical ethics lived and practiced by Michael Ryan which has been given to us in a very readable form by Howard Brody and his capable collaborators in this excellent book.” (Jack T. Hanford, Ethics Medicine, Vol. 28 (1), 2012)

• Institute for the Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA

  Howard Brody

• Philosophy Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, USA

  Zahra Meghani

Policies and ethics