Medicine
Physical and mental illnesses have always been part of human life, even before we created the vocabulary to describe them. At the same time, from the earliest years of human history, people began to develop methods for treating both injuries and illnesses, whether by binding wounds or using plants with medicinal qualities to alleviate pain and other symptoms. Diseases have led to the downfall of empires and destroyed civilisations whilst, in turn, the emergence of new illnesses has often precipitated scientific and technological breakthroughs, facilitating major advances in medical treatments, and generating novel solutions to old problems. With that in mind, “Medicine” remains one of the most important themes in historical research, relating to almost every aspect of our shared history.
The history of medicine (and, more broadly, the history of science) is both inter- and multi-disciplinary, not only encompassing the work of historians, but also of anthropologists, social scientists, and medical professionals. In like manner, at BOA, “Medicine” is connected to many other themes, such as “Science and Technology”, “Philosophy and Religion”, “Economics”, and “War, Security, and Intelligence”. The collections listed below touch on a wide array of topics, from government-mandated quarantines in the sixteenth century to the invention of the first vaccines; from the work of eighteenth-century medical students to colonial rule in the British empire; and from the establishment of the UK’s National Health Service to the activities of the World Health Organization.