This sound recording is a copy made from the original brown wax cylinder on behalf of Wellcome Library by the British Library (18th March, 2004) featuring the voice of Florence Nightingale recorded on 30 July 1890. The wax cylinder recording had been donated to Sir Henry Wellcome in the 1930s but was forgotten in the collection for decades. This short recording was made to raise money for the impoverished veterans of the Charge of the Light Brigade. The full transcript of the recording says: 'When I am no longer even a memory, just a name, I hope my voice may perpetuate the great work of my life. God bless my dear old comrades of Balaclava and bring them safe to shore. Florence Nightingale.' There are two recitations; the second has slightly altered wording to the first, which was presumably a practice session. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b2005368~S3.

Florence Nightingale: greetings to the dear old comrades of Balaclava. Rendition 2/2 (1890)

Paediatrician H.G. Farquhar describes normal and abnormal respiratory sounds in both adults and children. His description is illustrated by recorded sounds which include: rhonchi, crepitations, bronchial breathing, asthma. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730673~S3. 

Graves medical sounds 60-1: chest sounds (1960)

This short recording is an extract of a talk by Sir Alexander Fleming entitled 'Discovery of Penicillin', a BBC recording for Science Notebook, 28 August, 1945. Fleming talks about penicillin and the hopes to be found from other moulds in the future. He also warns, prophetically, about antibiotic resistance and how the wrong dosage (and usage) of penicillin could lead to 'educated microbes' - an outcome of antibiotic use which is all too familiar over half a century later. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730767~S3. 

Sir Alexander Fleming: discovery of penicillin (1945)

This is a recording of the Tarantella, a musical therapy for people bitten by the tarantula. This version is by Diego Carpitella, based on the music of Ernesto de Martino. The tape contains a brief narrative (in Italian), which explains how the Tarantella would have sounded in the 17th and 18th centuries and also why it was used less and less as a cure. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730786~S3. 

La terra del rimorso (1954)

Antony Gormley's live artwork was commissioned by the Mayor of London and took place between 6th July and 14th October 2009. This recording is from a series of 2400 interviews, which were captured by the Wellcome Trust prior to the participants in the One & Other project ascending to the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, Central London. In 2010 Wellcome Trust identified a group of 20 'plinthers' for follow-up interviews. Here, in conversation with Verusca Calabria, Gormley reflects on the conception and the manifestation of the One & Other project. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1729489~S3. 

One & Other: Antony Gormley post-plinth interview (2010)

Dr Carl Prausnitz Giles' recollections of his life and career recorded on 5 March, 1961 when he was 85 years old. In this short interview he discusses the years of his life before he became a general practitioner. Prausnitz was born in Hamburg, Germany. After qualifying in medicine at the age of 25 he became a eminent bacteriologist. He discusses his experiences assisting William Philipps Dunbar and later Richard Pfeiffer, as well as his development of the Prausnitz-Küstner immunologic test with Heinz Küstner. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730790~S3.

Dr. C.P. Giles' recollections, Ventnor, I.O.W. (1961)

This recording is the first of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 1 includes an introduction to the collection including dedications to heart specialists who helped in its production. The narrator also likens listening to the heart and learning to separate the subtleties of its sound in the way one might analyse a piece of music. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730726~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 1 (1949)

This recording is the second of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 2 contains recordings of cardiac irregularities. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730727~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 2 (1949)

This recording is the third of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 3 contains recordings of cardiac irregularities. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730728~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 3 (1949)

This recording is the fourth of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 4 contains recordings of cardiac irregularities. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730729~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 4 (1949)

This recording is the fifth of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 5 contains recordings of heart murmurs. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730730~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 5 (1949)

This recording is the sixth of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 6 contains recordings of heart murmurs. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730731~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 6 (1949)

This recording is the seventh of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 7 contains recordings of heart murmurs. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730732~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 7 (1949)

This recording is the eigth of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 8 contains recordings of heart murmurs, in particular with regards to congenital heart disease. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730733~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 8 (1949)

This recording is the ninth of nine made by Georgetown University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiology under the Direction of Dr. W. Proctor Harvey, assisted by Dr.'s John Stapleton and Edward Mears, which aim to be a 'collection of the most important points representing clinical auscultation of the heart.' Reel 9 contains recordings of miscellaneous auscultatory findings. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1730734~S3.

Heart sounds and murmurs: Reel 9 (1949)

This audio recording contains various lung sounds including normal and abnormal breath sounds (bronchitis, wheezes, and other adventitious sounds) carefully explained by Dr Paul Forgacs. Treatment before and after aerosol treatment is demonstrated. Severe obstruction of the trachea or the larynx is heard; this sound is very distinctive and known as 'stridor'. Forgacs asks for clinicians to be consistent with their description of medical sounds and provides helpful guidance on the precise nature of the sounds whether a wheeze or a crackle. He compares the sounds to music. Find out more: http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b2124428~S3.

Graves medical 76-88: lung sounds (1976)

This record features heart sounds and murmurs encountered in the most common congenital and acquired heart diseases. Each recording is preceded by a brief description. 1. The normal heart; 2. Interventricular septal defect; 3. Interatrial septal defect; 4. Pulmonary stenosis; 5. Patent ductus arteriosus; 6. Mitral stenosis; 7. Mitral insufficiency; 8. Aortic stenosis; 9. Aortic insufficiency; 10. Hypertension within the systemic circulation; 11. Hypertension within the pulmonary circulation; 12. Gallop rhythm; 13. Sclerosis of the aorta; 14. Pericarditis.

Heart sounds (196?)

An extract from an interview with the late Dr Ian Fletcher from the Limb Fitting Centre at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton.

Thalidomide: Dr Ian Fletcher interview extract

People born affected by the drug thalidomide discuss what they know about their birth.

Thalidomide Lives: birth stories

People born affected by the drug thalidomide discuss the guilt their mothers felt about taking the drug during pregnancy.

Thalidomide Lives: mothers' guilt

People born affected by the drug thalidomide discuss what it has been like for them to become disabled parents.

Thalidomide Lives: parenthood

People born affected by the drug thalidomide discuss occasions where they have experienced prejudice in their lives. 

Thalidomide Lives: prejudice

People born affected by the drug thalidomide discuss assessment for compensation and their feelings towards the drug companies that made and distributed thalidomide.

Thalidomide Lives: drug companies

This short recording claims to be the voice of Queen Victoria. Although it may feature her words, the recording features the cut-glass voice of an actress. The recitation is repeated.

Voice of Queen Victoria

Here Cicely Saunders, pioneer of the hospice movement, introduces General Practitioners to the concept of proper terminal care. There is a short recording with a patient giving a testimony regarding his experience of pain and medication.

The Problem of Terminal Pain (1962)

Reference heart sounds, part one

Reference heart sounds, part two

Chest sounds

Foetal heart sounds

Bowel sounds

The Child and the Family

Psychoprophyactic Preparation for Childbirth

Fearless Childbirth (Sides one and two)

The Last Lecture Given by Dr Dick Read in Washington USA

Positive Health 1

Positive Health 2

Tableau of a Lithotomy

Diagnosis of a Depressive Illness in General Practice

Fearless Childbirth Sides 3 and 4

Sir John Richardson talks about anticoagulants, discussing the indications and dangers of using them and giving the points of view of both sides.

Anticoagulants (1961).

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