Do wombs have horns? Will the presence of a menstruating woman force bees to forsake their hives? Will your crops wither and die in the presence of menstrual blood? We’ll answer these pressing questions and more in this episode of our podcast. We’re also exploring how pregnant convicted criminals could ‘plead the belly’ to avoid execution, the murky world of Medieval monstrous births and how a womb could wander. And we finish up with some adorable womb toads – perhaps the most endearing of votive offerings.

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Credits

Researcher and presenter: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte.

Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers.

Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history.

Historical clip: Prof Helen King

Ep.19 - Head To Toe - Womb

This is the last episode in our Head to Toe series finishing, of course, with the feet! We set off on the right foot, put our best feet forward and jump in with both feet. We explore why ancient Egyptians had two left feet, why witches had flat feet, why ancient Greeks had one foot longer than the other and what you’d do with a ‘foot bag’. We also delve into the history of shoes – from pointed toes, to wide soles and ornate buckles. And we finish up with a lovely bit of historical corn cutting – not for the faint of heart!

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with our latest podcasts, videos and events. Subscribe here: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/sign-our-heritage-newsletter

Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery 

Credits

Researcher and presenter: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte.

Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers.

Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history.

Historical clip: Dr I B Sneddon lecture, fungal infections. Wellcome Trust, 1962. PDM 1.0 Deed

Ep.27 - Head To Toe - Feet

We're off on a new journey into the muddy marshes of medical history!

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Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
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Trailer

In this talk Dr Matt Lodder presents an overview of his new book ‘Painted People’, and argues that through the history of tattooing, we can glean unique insights into forgotten areas of human history.

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/painted-people-untold-history-tattooing

Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.01 - An Untold History Of Tattooing

In this talk Dr Kate Stephenson explores the strange and fascinating history of condoms. 

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/history-condoms

Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.02 - The History Of Condoms

How did people in the past decide what to eat and what not to? What factors shaped their decisions? How did they obtain the information necessary to shape these decisions? And how did this information evolve over the course of the ‘early modern’ period (1500-1800)?

In this talk Professor David Gentilcore explores the changing nature of the genre of medicinal food advice. as well as some of the key factors which were meant to shape people’s individual relationship with food and drink – taste, gender, locale, occupation, social rank – before attempting to gauge how far early modern Europeans engaged with this advice.

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/food-drink-and-maintenance-health

Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.03 - Food, Drink And The Maintenance Of Health

In this talk Dr Emily Cock uses some of the immense volume of colonial administrative paperwork to illuminate experiences of individual prisoners with variable health and permanent disabilities. 

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/health-and-disability-convict-sydney


Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.04 - Health And Disability In Convict Sydney

In this talk Dr Katie Aske discusses the history of skincare.

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/skin-layered-history-exhibition-launch

Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.05 - From Spots To Pox

This lecture explores Roald Dahl and his interest in medicine through the eyes of his doctor and friend, Professor Tom Solomon.

You can also watch this talk on our website: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/talks/roald-dahls-marvellous-christmas-medicine


Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage
Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/
Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery

Ep.06 - Roald Dahl's Marvellous Medicine

This fortnightly podcast from the Physicians' Gallery at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh presents stories from medicine, past and present

Ep.19 - Head To Toe - Womb

Physicians' Gallery

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