Episodes

In this episode, we’re digging into the gnarly history of blood transfusion. From dog blood to black urine, we’re looking at 1600s attempts to carry out the first transfusions. A man is allegedly kidnapped off the streets while French and English scientists vie for primacy in this story of innovation, experimentation and bad ideas.

This week, we’re talking about eating blood. We’re digging into a tiny Scottish chapbook and the slightly gnarly recipe it contains! From the blood of Roman Gladiators to executed prisoners. Eating blood, cooking blood, smearing blood jam on your toast - we’ve got it all!

This week, we’re talking about straitjackets. Despite many seeing the straitjacket as an extreme method of patient restraint, in the 1700s it was introduced as a modern and humane solution.

This week, we’re talking about asylum art. And we’re focusing on a little volume of illustrations of patients at an asylum - the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. The illustrations show one patient playing a fiddle, another drinking a cup of tea. This volume is particularly interesting because they are all drawn by Robert Miles - an artist who was also a patient at the asylum

This week, we’re talking about the alchemical Ripley Scroll. This huge scroll, almost six feet long, supposedly contains the secret to the Philosophers' Stone. In this final part of our series, we wrap up by sharing the secrets to eternal life and unlimited gold!

This week, we’re talking about the alchemical Ripley Scroll. In this third part of our series, we're well under way in our alchemical preparation.

This week, we’re into our second episode about the alchemical Ripley Scroll. In this episode we’re talking about conmen, Adam and Eve and Bigfoot.

This week, we’re talking about the alchemical Ripley Scroll. This huge scroll, almost six feet long, supposedly contains the secret to the Philosophers' Stone - the key to both unlimited gold and eternal life! In this first part of our series, we explore the first steps in alchemy.

This week, we’re talking about scarificators. These alarming devices are filled with tiny blades. Also known as 'mechanical leeches' they were designed to be used for bloodletting.

This week, we’re talking about the rose. One of the less unpleasant-tasting medicines, rose was a common treatment for indigestion and constipation.

This week, we’re talking about bleeding bowls. We’re covering everything from heroic near-death levels of bloodletting, to a Scots porringer of blood - a handy tool that doubled as a measuring jug, gravy boat and ladle!

This week, we’re talking about the Air Loom. This fascinating image is the first example of asylum patient art ever reproduced in print and we uncover the story of its creator - James Tilly Matthews.

This week, we’re talking about the thistle. From a medical marvel to a symbol of Scotland, we explore the rich history of this spiky plant.

This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – ‘A treatise of new artificial wines’. The author of this book was a distiller, alchemist and chemist.

This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – Jamaica Ginger, a Prohibition-era American medicine which was highly alcoholic and contained a range of noxious ingredients.

This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – The Tree of Intemperance, an 1800s American illustration with an admonishing moral message.

We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery.

In this episode, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – a 1600s book called Erotomania, which explores the addictive nature of unrequited love. The Team: Dr Charlotte Holmes (@_CCHolmes_) - Editor/Producer Rachel Forrest - Researcher/Presenter Dr Daisy Cunynghame - Researcher/Presenter Laura Burgess (@laura.burgess.18) - Editor/Producer Dr Sarah Hayward - Editor/Producer

In this episode, Daisy and Olivia talk about some Zs in the history of medicine: Zeus, zoonosis and zits.

In this episode, Daisy and Olivia yap about some Ys in the history of medicine: yawning, yellow fever and yogurt. The Team: Olivia Howarth (Researcher/Presenter) is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. (@oh_archives) Dr Charlotte Holmes (Researcher/Presenter) received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the RCPE since 2019. Her ma...

In this episode, Daisy and Olivia expound on some Xs in the history of medicine: x-mas, x-rays and Xavier. The Team: Olivia Howarth (Researcher/Presenter) is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. (@oh_archives) Dr Charlotte Holmes (Researcher/Presenter/Editor) received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the RCPE since 2019. Her ma...

In this episode, Daisy, Laura and Olivia wax lyrical about some Ws in the history of medicine: witches, warts and widows. The Team: Olivia Howarth (Researcher/Presenter) is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. (@oh_archives) Dr Charlotte Holmes (Researcher/Presenter/Editor) received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the RCPE sin...

In this episode, Daisy, Laura and Olivia talk about some Vs in the history of medicine: virgins, vampirism and vaccines. The Team: Olivia Howarth (Researcher/Presenter) is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. (@oh_archives) Dr Charlotte Holmes (Researcher/Presenter) received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the RCPE since 2019....

In this episode, Daisy and Olivia eulogise some of the Us in the history of medicine: ugliness, urticaria and universal medicines. The Team: Olivia Howarth (Researcher/Presenter) is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. (@oh_archives) Dr Charlotte Holmes (Researcher/Presenter) received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the RCPE s...