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Open research questions in History of Science and Medicine

284 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 2,344 History of Science and Medicine papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Future research should examine the implications of pharmaceutical imperialism for public health. Future research should explore the role of indigenous knowledge in the development of pharmaceuticals.

    German Pharmaceutical Imperialism in Brazil: Cinchona, Biopolitics, and Hybrid Knowledge in the Early 19th Century · 2025 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of how German scientists acquired knowledge of the therapeutic properties of plants. The paper identifies a gap in the examination of the intersection of pharmacological experimentation and biopolitical practices.

    German Pharmaceutical Imperialism in Brazil: Cinchona, Biopolitics, and Hybrid Knowledge in the Early 19th Century · 2025 · DOI

  • The scarcity of African cadavers in European anatomical theatres. The exploitation of enslaved Africans and their remains. The dehumanizing experiments and bizarre anatomical claims.

    Abraham Bäck, Scarcity, and the Racial Anatomy of Skin · 2025 · DOI

  • The scarcity of African cadavers in European anatomical theatres. The lack of knowledge about the social and material aspects that shaped the studies of early modern European empiricists.

    Abraham Bäck, Scarcity, and the Racial Anatomy of Skin · 2025 · DOI

  • Further analysis of historical figures using DNA and informatics. Application of the methods to other fields such as forensic science.

    A Reconstitution of the Face of the French Bayard Knight (1473?-1524) Based on DNA Analyses and on Informatics Study of his Official Portrait · 2024 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the academic legacy of Professor Ion Steopoe

    The Academic Legacy of Professor Ion Steopoe (1890–1962): Cytology, Histology, and the Franco-Romanian Scientific Nexus · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited information on the physical appearance of historical figures. Need for new methods to analyze and reconstruct historical faces.

    A Reconstitution of the Face of the French Bayard Knight (1473?-1524) Based on DNA Analyses and on Informatics Study of his Official Portrait · 2024 · DOI

  • The high mortality rates among blacks were largely due to preventable diseases. The lack of improved sanitation and hygiene contributed to the health gap. The study highlights the need for recognizing the fundamental principle of one law of sanitation and hygiene for both races.

    Germs Know No Color Line: Black Health and Public Policy in Atlanta, 1900–1918 · 1985 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a significant gap in the understanding of the racial disparities in mortality rates in Atlanta from 1900-1918. The study highlights the need for improved sanitation and hygiene to address the health gap.

    Germs Know No Color Line: Black Health and Public Policy in Atlanta, 1900–1918 · 1985 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the history of medical science regarding the controversy surrounding antivivisection legislation. The gap is significant because it highlights the importance of medical scientists' efforts to defend their work.

    William Henry Welch and the Antivivisection Legislation in the District of Columbia, 1896–1900 · 1985 · DOI

  • There is a need to evaluate Leonard Horner's contributions to education as a whole. Prior work has mentioned his contributions separately, but not evaluated them as a whole.

    Leonard Horner, 1785‐1864: His Contribution to Education · 1985 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the history of typhoid fever. The paper seeks to address the lack of a comprehensive history of typhoid fever in a strictly medical sense.

    Exemplary Disease: The Typhoid Pattern · 1982 · DOI

  • There is a need for more discussion of Foucault's work before it becomes generally accessible - Foucault's approach is distinct from conventional history-writing, creating a gap in understanding

    Foucault's genealogy of the human sciences · 1982 · DOI

  • The complexity of the human mind and its many functions. The challenge of applying mathematical logic to psychoanalysis. The need to develop new therapeutic approaches that take into account Bion's theory of thinking.

    Wilfred R. Bion · 1981 · DOI

  • There is a need for further development of Bion's theory of thinking. The application of mathematical logic to psychoanalysis is a relatively new area of study.

    Wilfred R. Bion · 1981 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the historiography of fundamentalism, particularly in regards to the southern connection. The author notes that the liberal schools of fundamentalist historiography denied any intellectual content in fundamentalism.

    Evolution, Fundamentalism, and the Historians: An Historiographical Review · 1981 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of Donne's use of the legend of the Oldest Animals in his work. The study aims to fill this gap by exploring the literary and cultural context of Donne's time.

    DONNE'S ANATOMY OF THE WORLD AND THE LEGEND OF THE OLDEST ANIMALS · 1981 · DOI

  • Further study of Steuart's writings and experiences is needed to deepen our understanding of his economic thought. Comparison with other economists of the time period could provide additional insights. Analysis of the implications of Steuart's views for modern economic policy could be a fruitful area of research.

    SIR JAMES STEUART: AUTHOR OF A SYSTEM · 1981 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of social evolution. It highlights the need to analyze Kidd's theory in the context of biological laws.

    Bio‐politics in the 1890s: Benjamin Kidd and ‘Social Evolution’ · 1980 · DOI

  • Future research could further explore the role of analogies in scientific explanation. The development of new scientific theories and explanations could be informed by the paper's analysis of the language and analogies used by scientists.

    Styles in Scientific Explanation: Paul Ehrlich and Svante Arrhenius on Immunochemistry · 1980 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the role of analogies in scientific explanation. The development of immunochemistry was a new and developing area of research at the time, and the paper aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of this field.

    Styles in Scientific Explanation: Paul Ehrlich and Svante Arrhenius on Immunochemistry · 1980 · DOI

  • The paper identifies the challenge of developing effective homework policies. The paper discusses the challenge of balancing the amount of homework with the needs of students.

    Homework: Origins and Justifications · 1980 · DOI

  • Further study of C. Wright Mills' work and its significance in understanding intellectual craftsmanship. Exploration of the use of master files in stimulating the imagination.

    On intellectual craftsmanship (1952) · 1980 · DOI

  • The need for a more nuanced understanding of intellectual craftsmanship in sociology. The lack of emphasis on the importance of maintaining a master file of ideas and notes.

    On intellectual craftsmanship (1952) · 1980 · DOI

  • Further research could explore the impact of the fear of germs on contemporary concerns about disease and public health. Research could also examine the effectiveness of different methods of protecting oneself from germs, including disinfection and the use of chemical disinfectants.

    Germs are Every where: The Germ Threat as Seen in Magazine Articles 1890‐1920 · 1980 · DOI

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284 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 2,344 History of Science and Medicine papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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