Medicine

The Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio

Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio dissecting table

The Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio can be found in Europe’s oldest university, Bologna University in Italy which was founded in the C11th. The building that houses it, the Palace Archiginnasio, used to house the medical school and is a stunningly decorated building with a wonderful collection of wall memorials. The purpose of this visit…

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The Royal Society

Royal Society

The Royal Society for the promotion of natural knowledge is one of Britain’s longest standing organisations, its members some of the worlds most brilliant minds.

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Medieval Leprosy

Medieval leprosy

Medieval leprosy was a complicated part of Medieval society. The idea of the leper as being a carrier of disease is too simplistic. The leper was a person who carried the outward mark of sin, whose purgatory on Earth would be rewarded in heaven.

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Smallpox Inoculation 1721

Smallpox

Smallpox is a devastating disease that holds a unique place in medical history. The foresight of people such as Lady Montague helped in it’s eradication. Many people had their lives saved due to her persistent and courageous actions before Jenner’s vaccination took over.

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C17th Human Dissection and Resurectionists

The enlightenment period of the C17th brought with it a new approach to science based on observation and experimentation and with that came the practice of human dissection in open observation anatomical theatres.

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The Use of Antiseptics in Operating Theatres

The problem of infection in operating theatres had been known about from the end of the C18th through the C19th. More people were dying from infections acquired in the operating theatre than were dying of their ailments. Florence Nightingale highlighted the need for a rigorous approach to hospital hygiene and Lister’s work with carbolic, changed…

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John Snow Mapping Cholera 1859

Joseph Bazalgette

Sometimes events happen in history, that have a profound effect upon all people, the epidemiological studies of John Snow in his pursuit of the cause of cholera was one just event

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