16thc trepan, used to drill holes in a patient's skull as a treatment for a whole range of conditions including headaches, hysteria and epilepsy. "Press the trepan on the thickest part, and in this take good heede..."

Handy eighteenth century tip for curing 'Warts in the Private Members'... nothing too complicated, just the blood of an eel, of course

It's #FestiveClothes for today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar with @arascot.bsky.social. These beautifully embroidered gloves (c.1600) belonged to our College founder & surgeon, Peter Lowe. We probably wouldn't recommend wearing them to make snowballs though 😆❄️ heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/items/show/37

This style of ceramic inhaler was invented in the 1860s. Medical infusions were placed in the inhaler and boiling water was poured over them. Common medicines used included chlorine, iodine, creosote, vinegar and henbane. This object is on display in our gallery 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...

New episode! 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. Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/tre...

One of the absolute highlights of my trip to Ingolstadt in September was seeing the exhibition ´Ansichtssache’ (a matter of perspective) at the German Medical History Museum. It showed the knitted anatomy of Katharina Sabernig, and I can’t say how much I loved it!

A typical 1600s patient/doctor consultation on full display in this woodcut from Joannes Jonstonus. The doctor examines a flask of the patient's urine while the patient waits for their results

17thc medical diagnosis by astrology. Watch out under Capricorn for diseases of the knees and hams. And beware of scabs and fractures

Um, dog milk and the brains of a hare anyone?

Suffering from the sniffles? Here's a recipe to make a "fine tablet for the cough and coold" from our 18th century herbal notebook.

New episode! We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery. This week, we’re talking about the electro-therapeutic machine. These machines were designed to administer electric shocks. Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/ele...

Victorian medicine chest, which contains medications for pain relief, such as opium. It also includes a set of scales, weights, a pill tile, and a spatula. It was probably used in the home or by an apothecary. Photo: Wellcome Collection, London

Blog! What we mean by addiction is ever changing. In 1600s Britain, reading books was seen as addictive. You could also be addicted to astrology or to writing poetry. Read more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/her...

In 1700s Britain tea was in such high demand it was often counterfeited - with local plants mixed with turpentine, paint and sheep dung. This book shows an authentic Chinese tea leaf (bottom left) in comparison with 'spurious' substitute leaves Find out more in Hooked www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...

17th century birthing stool, with handgrips for the mother to grasp during contractions and a 'cloth round the ring to keep out the aire'. Similar stools can be found described in the Bible and in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs

Marie Curie was born #OnThisDay 1867. Madame Curie visited Glasgow in 1929, being hosted by Professor Archibald Young and Mrs Anna Young. Here is a photo of Irene Curie, Madame Curie, and Mrs Young enjoying the fresh Scottish air at Loch Fyne 😅 #heritage #mariecurie

A personal favourite treatment... To cure a whitloe (lesion) put your finger in a cat's ear

New podcast series! We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery. This week, we’re talking about a 1600s book called Erotomania, which explores the addictive nature of unrequited love. Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/ero...

On the doctor's orders - wine as a cure for melancholy, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. archive.org/details/b216...

Our new permanent gallery and learning centre are now open! Be one of the first to check out our alchemical scroll, examine medicines from the Battle of Culloden and try out our family-friendly puzzles and activities. Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...

This image is from an 18thc text, 'Man-midwifery dissected'. Its author, John Blunt, wrote that women who employed male midwives were 'female brutes' who 'have stoically forgotten to blush, unless it be by the assistance of rouge'

These are both opium-based medicines. Paregoric was given to young children to relieve teething pain and send them to sleep. Other opium-based medicines for children included Mother Bailey’s Quieting Syrup and Mrs Winslow’s Soothing Syrup Find out more in Hooked www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...

We're on the way! Very excited to see our new public gallery taking shape. Opening on 3rd November and free entry - see you there! Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...

‘A Satyr against Snuff’ caused a bit of a stir in the 18thc with its risqué health warnings: ‘now, tis by every sort And Sex adorned, But ask a Wench how Oysters sell? If nice, She begs a pinch before she sets a price’ Find out more in our exhibition www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...

Santorio Sanctorius’s 17thc weighing machine. For over 30 years he weighed everything that went into, and came out of his body, comparing the weight of his food and drink with his urine and excretia and keeping a detailed diary of his findings

"We are sun-starved" Not sure a Collaro Sunray Lamp is the answer.... This advertisement is from September 1939, when people had a lot more on their minds than the lack of sunlight.

Sore legs? Considered putting herrings on your feet? - Handy 1785 medical tip

We’re excited to announce that on 3rd Nov we’re opening a 🎉 free 🎉 entry new gallery and learning centre! Join us to explore stories from medicine – from alchemy to straitjackets, along with family-friendly activities and puzzles. Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...

Dr Ebenezer Sibly, using his miracle tincture, the occult, and mesmerism to 'cure' a patient, ('A Key to Physic and the Occult Sciences')

18thc medical advice for #internationalcoffeeday – try opium in your coffee for ‘the Coffee takes of the narcotic quality of the Opium’ cullenproject.ac.uk/docs/5939/

This is the first known illustration of a straitjacket (1794). Despite many seeing it as an extreme method of restraint, it was introduced as a humane solution. Although still dehumanising, it was an improvement on manacling and chaining patients to walls

Old and stale urine of a man anyone?

Looking at this 18thC model of female pelvic anatomy, you see three foetuses. This isn’t showing pregnancy with triplets - it’s an intended to show different types of ectopic pregnancy. You can see ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal. It was produced by sculptor Francesc Citarelli to teach obstetrics

Magiae Naturalis or Natural Magic. This book includes a recipe for Witches’ Unguent that supposedly allowed witches to fly at night… or at least they thought they could, due to its hallucinogenic properties!

Chomp! Love this little guy taking a bite out of the gastronomy map of France (Cours gastronomique, ou, Les diners de Manant-ville, c.1809) 😋

1800s medical kit containing Spanish fly. Also known as Blister Beetles because they were applied to the skin in order to create blisters which supposedly forced the sickness out

Blog post! Prohibition stories... Anti-tea and coffee spokespersons had once decried those drinks as creating ‘tea mania’ and ‘coffee drunkards’. But by 1920 the Temperance Movement was advocating for more coffee shops and tearooms as an alternative to pubs. 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/her...

Chinese utensils used in preparing and drinking tea, from a 1600s work by Simon Paulli Find out more about the history of tea in our exhibition ‘Hooked’ www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...

The hematologist Oswald H. Robertson pioneered the idea of "blood banks" in WWI by packing glass jars of citrated blood from universal donors in an ice-filled chest that he had constructed from ammunition cases. Learn more in my book THE FACEMAKER: drlindseyfitzharris.com/the-facemaker/

Fishwives, or ‘oyster lasses’, were common figures in the streets of 1700s Edinburgh. Oysters were so plentiful that they were considered to be cheap snack food. The shells themselves, when ground up, were taken to relieve heartburn

Class card belonging to Murdoch Cameron, a pioneer in caesarean section under antiseptic conditions. The card shows attendance at Joseph Lister's Clinical Lectures on the Cases of Surgical Patients, held in 1867 at Glasgow Royal Infirmary

I think I prefer the summer treatment…winter is a bit too uriney

Charcot was a French neurologist who studied hypnotism in cases of hysteria. He held public displays of his skills which were attended by actors, authors and others, including a young Sigmund Freud. They were viewed as salacious as they often involved semi-clad young women

A strong start to your 1600s surgical textbook when you begin with allegorical winged and cloaked death images like these – a stark reminder to all medical students

This 16thc text contains descriptions of over 200 spas as well as collecting together the works of over 70 classical, Arabic and contemporary writers on the subject of bathing. This illustration shows visitors bathing, drrinking and defecating at the spa

Stop by today! It is our 🎉 FREE 🎉 #Edinburgh science fun day! 10am – 2pm 🔬 Try testing ‘urine’ in our lab 🐍 Meet a real snake and learn what snakes have to do with bladders 💪 Get sparkly with glitter tattoos 🩺 Listen to talks from real doctors FREE Find out more www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/sna...

Condom, or ‘rubber sheath’, over 100 years old. This was used as evidence in the court case of a quack imposter physician ‘Dr’ Massie in Edinburgh in 1914

Visit our free #Edinburgh exhibition Hooked. Exploring pills, drink, snuff and cigarettes, we uncover the many faces of addiction and the many attempts to combat it. 📍 Physicians’ Gallery, 11 Queen Street, EH2 1JQ 📅 Mon – Fri, 10am – 4.30pm Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...

Blog! The science behind murder, exploring the murder weapon collection of forensic expert Sydney Smith 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/her...

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh first opened its doors #OTD 1729 after a fundraising campaign by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. It was known as the Little House and, showing it was a hospital for all of Scotland, its first patient came from Caithness