'It is helpful for a woman in difficult labour to be bathed in water whcih has been cooked in mallow, chickpeas and barley.' Trotula, Diseases of Women, Italy 11th century '[She] was a lover of the study of medicine and the practise of Alchemy. She prepared excellent medicines that did good to many.' Diary of Anne Clifford, England 17th century Until the 20th century Western people rarely saw a doctor: medical care from birth to death was provided by women in the community. Women as Healers looks at the important and varied role women have played in medicine - as healers, midwives, doctors, nurses and campaigners - from ancient times to the present day. The author also discusses women's struggle to become accepted on the same terms as men in the medical profession. Through a remarkable range of source material, some previously unpublished, the author unearths this hidden and neglected history.