This volume investigates the complex evolution of medical practice, research, and institutional structures throughout the twentieth century. Editors Roger Cooter and John V. Pickstone assemble a diverse group of historians to analyze how medicine transitioned from localized clinical practice to a globalized, technology-driven enterprise. The text argues that the twentieth century represents a distinct epoch defined by the professionalization of health care and the integration of laboratory science into public policy.

Experts frequently cite this work as a foundational reference for scholars of medical history and the sociology of health. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous, multi-faceted overview of the century's medical advancements.