This is a combination of essays from several disciplines with incisive commentary by the editor. This volume provides a unique perspective on sexual variance as a dimension of the larger social history of the United States.

Every society has had to confront the issue of sexual expression or behavior, in practice, if not in theory. It is a basic management issue which must be addressed. Theorizing about sex is a relatively recent phenomenon in American history, dating from no earlier than the beginning of the 20th century. In recent decades this interest has produced an enormous outpouring of literature of sexuality, dealing largely with what we do, how we do it, and how to do it better. Such inquiry has been, however, essentially the province of anthropology, psychology, and sociology. The historical perspective on sexuality has been less well treated. Some attention to this omission has occurred in recent years. Even so, minimal attention has been given to practices beyond the boundary of acceptable sexuality, namely sexual deviance or stigmatized sexual behavior.

The primary aim of this volume is to provide a compact and selective perspective on sexual deviance as one dimension of American societal history. It does so by examining attitudes and practices from the colonial era onward. The essays speak collectively to the history of American culture as well as to the history of variant practice. This is basic reading for all students of American social and sexual history, and gender specialized courses.

In June 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law a new Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the first major legislation regulating these industries since the 1906 Wiley law. Eliminating many serious and long-standing abuses in production, labeling, and advertising, the 1938 Act was, in the words of David L. Cowen, "a milestone in federal interest in consumer protection." Despite its importance to the American public, however, its passage was effected only after a long, complex battle between conflicting interest groups. This volume is a study in depth of that five-year struggle, fully documented by records, correspondence, and publications, as well as a social history of the period. The author analyzes the inadequacy of the 1906 law, the roles of Franklin Roosevelt, Henry Wallace, and Rexford Tugwell, the American Medical Association, drug associations, and consumers' and women's groups. Originally published in 1970. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

In June 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law a new Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the first major legislation regulating these industries since the 1906 Wiley law. Eliminating many serious and long-standing abuses in production, labeling, and advertising, the 1938 Act was, in the words of David L. Cowen, "a milestone in federal interest in consumer protection." Despite its importance to the American public, however, its passage was effected only after a long, complex battle between conflicting interest groups. This volume is a study in depth of that five-year struggle, fully documented by records, correspondence, and publications, as well as a social history of the period. The author analyzes the inadequacy of the 1906 law, the roles of Franklin Roosevelt, Henry Wallace, and Rexford Tugwell, the American Medical Association, drug associations, and consumers' and women's groups. Originally published in 1970. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This is a combination of essays from several disciplines with incisive commentary by the editor. This volume provides a unique perspective on sexual variance as a dimension of the larger social history of the United States.

Every society has had to confront the issue of sexual expression or behavior, in practice, if not in theory. It is a basic management issue which must be addressed. Theorizing about sex is a relatively recent phenomenon in American history, dating from no earlier than the beginning of the 20th century. In recent decades this interest has produced an enormous outpouring of literature of sexuality, dealing largely with what we do, how we do it, and how to do it better. Such inquiry has been, however, essentially the province of anthropology, psychology, and sociology. The historical perspective on sexuality has been less well treated. Some attention to this omission has occurred in recent years. Even so, minimal attention has been given to practices beyond the boundary of acceptable sexuality, namely sexual deviance or stigmatized sexual behavior.

The primary aim of this volume is to provide a compact and selective perspective on sexual deviance as one dimension of American societal history. It does so by examining attitudes and practices from the colonial era onward. The essays speak collectively to the history of American culture as well as to the history of variant practice. This is basic reading for all students of American social and sexual history, and gender specialized courses.