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Herbal medicines and the early modern menopause

Today, campaigns to raise awareness of the menopause may offer some relief to many women who suffer symptoms. Julia Nurse explores how this challenging time in a woman’s life was ignored, misdiagnosed, or subject to some very odd ‘remedies’ throughout the medieval and early modern period.

Words by Julia Nurse

  • In pictures

About the author

Black and white photograph of Julia Nurse, a white woman with brown hair, smiling. She wears an animal-print dress and the corners of paintings are visible in the background.

Julia Nurse

(she/her)

Julia Nurse is a collections research specialist at Wellcome Collection with a background in Art History and Museum Studies. She currently runs the Exploring Research programme, and has a particular interest in the medieval and early modern periods, especially the interaction of medicine, science and art within print culture.