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Mother's little helper : minor tranquilizers and women in the 1950s

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Mother's little helper : minor tranquilizers and women in the 1950s

Crabb, Leona (1992) Mother's little helper : minor tranquilizers and women in the 1950s. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

In 1955, Miltown became the first in a series of minor tranquilizing agents to be introduced into general use in North America. Its popularity was instantaneous. Medical journals, popular magazines, and even Hollywood celebrities overwhelmingly endorsed the drug as a safe and effective means of alleviating anxiety and tension. Public demand for the drug also skyrocketed and the use of Miltown quickly went from being a common medical practice to being a mass cultural phenomenon. This thesis explores the Miltown phenomenon in the broader social, economic, and political climate of the 1950s, arguing that there is a direct link between the widespread use of Miltown, especially among middle class women, and the decade's obsession with anxiety, gender role conformity, and social stability.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > History
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Crabb, Leona
Pagination:vii, 109 leaves : ill., facsims. ; 29 cm.
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M.A.
Program:History
Date:1992
Thesis Supervisor(s):Carr, Graham
Identification Number:RM 333 C7 1992
ID Code:56
Deposited By: Concordia University Library
Deposited On:27 Aug 2009 17:09
Last Modified:03 Aug 2021 21:09
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