Biting Off the Bracelet

This is a book about the social situation of the hospitalized child in twentieth-century America. With details and examples drawn from the day-to-day life of children in hospitals, the author shows how children are often frightened and confused by a system that professes to be a benevolent one. Speaking as the mother of children who have been ill and as a dedicated sociologist, Ann Beuf suggests ways in which parents can better prepare their children for the hospital experience, and she recommends changes in medical training and hospital routine that would allow for more respect for the rights of children and adults alike in the confinement of a hospital.