La Muse des Cauchemars

Step into nineteenth-century Beijing through the eyes of Georges Auguste Morache, a French physician stationed in the city from 1862 to 1866. This work presents a detailed study of the city's health and sanitation, offering a unique medical perspective on the lives of its inhabitants. Morache meticulously documents a wide range of subjects, from the climate and water supply to the prevalence of diseases like typhus and the widespread use of opium. His clinical observations provide a rare and unfiltered account of the public and private health conditions that shaped the daily existence of the people in the capital of the Qing Dynasty.

Beyond a mere medical report, this book is a comprehensive survey of a city at a pivotal moment in its history. Morache extends his inquiry to the social fabric of Beijing, examining everything from the condition of the streets and urban infrastructure to cultural practices and the stark realities of poverty. Drawing on his direct experiences and scientific training, he offers an analytical and thorough portrayal of the environment and the challenges faced by its population. This account serves as an invaluable historical record, providing a factual and dispassionate glimpse into the complex relationship between a city and the well-being of its people.