Home| StoriesInside our collectionsSeriesshow credit information for image 'Woodblock: Ambrosia altera'Woodblock: Ambrosia altera, Benjamin Gilbert. Source: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).In picturesSouthern Italy’s centuries-long dancing maniaHow the symptom of a terrifying sickness became a lively folk dance in southern Italy.In picturesMedical manipulations and the history of physiotherapyFrom gymnastics to splints and uterine massage, the history of physiotherapy takes in a surprisingly broad range of people and practices.ArticleA medieval guide to practical magicWith few sources of effective help available when treating an injured patient, the medieval physician could instead stage a healing ceremony using a practical how-to guide he carried with him.In picturesThe aphrodisiac apothecaryNot in the mood? Come and visit our traditional drug store for natural tonics rumoured to increase sexual desire.In picturesSuperstition, contagion and medical rumourThe great generator of confusion, rumours have not spared human health from their chaos. Find out how whispers, gossip and rumours have caused medical mishaps through the ages.In picturesChinese pillow historyWhat is the ideal pillow? In Chinese culture, the ideal shifted over time, and views on a good sleep also reveal attitudes about studying, love, food and drink.In picturesFaces from the archivesMeet some of the lesser-known but no less extraordinary figures in the history of medicine, through a series of original portraits.In picturesFrom female impersonation to dragHow did drag develop from light-hearted female impersonation to a world-dominating art form?In picturesHumans, animals and the sensory worldArtists and medics through the ages have made links between our discerning human senses and similar traits in animals. Discover how close we are to the earth’s other inhabitants.In picturesThe death-defying science of the aeronautsAir ballooning is not as serene as you might think. Read about the perilous exploits of two early aeronauts who risked life and limb to better understand the science of the weather.In picturesThe evolution of war-zone medicineThe need to deal with battlefield injuries has led to inventive designs for extreme situations. Find out how camel-drawn ambulances and flat-pack hospitals have helped casualties survive.In picturesBorn to playOur understanding of the importance of play in a child’s development has become increasingly sophisticated over the centuries. Explore the ways different eras have regarded childhood games.In picturesThe lost art of convalescenceThe efficacy of antibiotics and the demands of work mean we rarely convalesce after an illness. But in the past it was an important part of the return to health.In picturesTesla, quacks and violet raysImagine a device that can treat everything from baldness to gout. Too good to be true? Yes, and it was banned – but not before hundreds were hoodwinked.In picturesWhy we still need quarantineFor years, quarantine has been an important measure to curb the spread of infection and avert further deaths. Discover the way it has been used in the past and why it is still necessary today.ArticleMask, ritual and fertilityToday many of us learn about fertility, conception and pregnancy online. But that wasn’t always the way. Discover how masks and rituals played an important educational role.In picturesThe post-war adverts that tried to cure lonely womenIsolated housewives, lonely female office workers: while the 1950s saw the birth of a general concern about them, manufacturers also spotted an opportunity. Find out how advertising promised that products could salve solitude.In picturesHow chloroform shaped the murder mysteryFind out how a sweet-smelling liquid anaesthetic captured the public’s imagination and changed pop culture for ever.In picturesA short history of lovesicknessAre you ill or are you simply in love? It can be hard to tell. No wonder lovesickness was for centuries regarded as a bona fide disease.In picturesThe fast and the spuriousExtreme fasting has captured the public imagination for centuries. What pushes people to claim to go without food for improbable lengths of time?Previous (page 4)Page 5 of 8Next (page 6)