author
James Harvey Young
1915–2006
Best known for uncovering the strange history of patent medicines, medical frauds, and food and drug regulation in the United States, this lively social historian turned quack cures and public health battles into gripping stories. He spent most of his career at Emory University and became a leading voice in the history of American medicine.
1 Audiobook
Old English Patent Medicines in America
by George B. Griffenhagen, James Harvey Young
About the author
Born in Brooklyn on September 8, 1915, James Harvey Young grew up in Indiana and Illinois and went on to earn his PhD in history from the University of Illinois. In 1941 he joined Emory University, where he taught history for decades and built a reputation as a gifted lecturer and scholar.
Young became especially known for his work on patent medicines, medical frauds, and the rise of federal food and drug regulation. His books, including The Toadstool Millionaires and The Medical Messiahs, helped make the history of quackery and consumer protection vivid for general readers as well as historians.
He died in Atlanta on July 29, 2006, after a long career that shaped the study of American medical and regulatory history. His papers are preserved at the University of Illinois, and tributes from fellow historians remember both his sharp scholarship and the energy he brought to the classroom.