medical history
The stigma still surrounding leprosy
Though long curable, the disease remains endemic in India, Mozambique and Brazil, with lack of medical funding leaving lepers among the world’s most marginalised people
There’s much to be said for nostalgia
Instead of condemning it as dangerous fantasy, two new books argue that we should welcome nostalgia as ‘emotional armour’ in a fast-changing world
Germ of an idea
Bleach and germs are the central themes of Dr Semmelweis, written by Mark Rylance and Stephen Brown. The opening scene,…
Three brave pioneers
The first three women doctors on the medical register in the UK had not only to study harder than their…
Everyday miracles
On watching transplant surgery, I can give prosaic but essential advice: have a good breakfast. Each operation can last 12…
The scourge of mankind
In supposedly unprecedented times such as ours, there are compelling reasons to turn to the history of medicine. For hope,…
Nature fights back
Adrian Woolfson explains the essence of pandemics – and how we can expect many more of them
One hundred years on, could we cope with a new flu pandemic?
Do you remember the swine flu panic a decade ago? Jeremy Brown, the author of this book, describes it here.…
How Joseph Lister transformed surgery from butchery to a healing art
Every operation starts the same way. Chlorhexidine scrubbed under nails, lathered over wet hands, palm-to-palm, fingers interlaced, thumbs, wrists, forearms.…
