Medical history
Nelson’s Navy
While ‘rum, sodomy and the lash’ might be the stereotype of life at sea in in the 18th and early 19th century, it is far from the reality.
Ancient Surgery
Surgery is not a modern phenomenon but has its roots in the ancient world. Developments in India, Egypt, Greece and Rome many centuries ago meant that operations that are common now were also performed then.
- The
Anatomists
Fascinating website that traces the history of anatomy, its use in medicine and art, and the ethics and laws that surround it. - The Black Death
A brief history of the 14th-century pandemic that swept not only Europe, but also through Asia and north Africa to northern Russia. - Bodies
of Evidence
Investigation of forensic archaeology and the scientific methods of unravelling the mysteries of the past. Plus more than two dozen case studies, including mummies, left-handedness and Lenin's body. - The Diets that Time Forgot
Info on weight-loss diets and fitness regimes popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras and 1920s, plus general facts on diet and nutrition. - Happy Birthday, Thalidomide
A concise account of the drug that was given to pregnant women to combat morning sickness and became notorious for the damage it caused to babies. - The Girl with X-ray Eyes
The battle of beliefs and the appeal of visionaries throughout history, from Greek myths to the Cottingley fairies. - The
Great Plague: Ask the expert
Historian Justin Champion answers questions on the Great Plague of 1665. - The Great Plague: Interviews
Interviews with historians Justin Champion, Vanessa Harding and Carole Rawcliffe on the Great Plague of 1665. - Kill or Cure
A timeline charting medical discoveries and events related to animal testing over the last century. - Mary
Seacole: The real angel of the Crimea
The extraordinary life of the Caribbean-born nurse Mary Seacole, who became famous for her pioneering work in caring for British troops during the Crimean War. Why was she so swiftly forgotten after her death? - The monarchs we never had
The death of the heir to the throne has had important consequences throughout British history – sometimes immediately, sometimes obvious only in retrospect. - Plague
The story of the Great Plague of 1665, plus an explanation of the disease and its spread in London and the rest of England. - Restoration
A fun film that, according to Justin Champion, gives a slightly more plausible account of the culture of Charles II’s court than many others. - Royal Deaths and Diseases
More madness, decadence, bad blood, horrific deliveries and deaths by violence among the crowned heads of Europe and elsewhere. - Riddle of the Elephant Man
The story of Joseph Merrick, the Victorian 'freak' who suffered terribly from neurofibromatosis, and the progress that has been made since with genetic testing and counselling. - Seven Ages of Britain
In this extract from his book, Justin Pollard recounts the changes that women experienced following the Black Death. - The Spanish Flu of 1918
Many more soldiers met their deaths on their return home from World War I – in just one year, 50-100 million people died from a lethal form of influenza.
