ABSTRACT
Despitetheupsurgeofinterestinthehistoryoftropicalmedicine,international publichealthandtheprovisionofhealthcareincolonialandpost-colonialtropical countries,nomajortextdiscussesthehistoryoftheacademicdisciplineinthe twentiethcentury.1Socialhistoriansofscienceandmedicinehaveconsideredthe formationoftropicalmedicineanditsearlyhistory.2Itssubsequentdevelopment anddiversificationstillrequireanalysis.Scholarswhoconcentrateonparticular regionsoftheworldhaveexaminedtheroleofmedicineintheprocessesof colonialrule.3Theeffectsofdecolonisationonmedicineinthedevelopingworld havereceivedmuchlessattention.Historicalsociologistsconcernedwith developmenttheory,thirdworlddebtandpovertydiscussthestatusofhealthcare deliveryandtheeffectsofcontinueddependenceonthefirstworld.4
