Tuberculosis in the Ottoman harem in the 19th century

Baris Y. I., Hillerdal G.

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL BIOGRAPHY, vol.17, no.3, pp.170-173, 2009 (AHCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 17 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • Doi Number: 10.1258/jmb.2009.009012
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL BIOGRAPHY
  • Journal Indexes: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.170-173
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

At least four of the sultans who ruled during the 19th century suffered from tuberculosis (TB), and probably many of the women and children in the harem too. Life there was crowded with low standards of hygiene, resulting in high mortality, especially among children. Infectious diseases were the main killers and TB was one of the many factors behind the decline and fall of the empire.