Medicine & Disease

Men’s awkwardness when talking about their bodies, especially sexual health, has changed little since the 17th century.

‘Shell shock’ is associated in particular with the First World War. Stuart M. Archer recounts the often brutal treatment meted out to sufferers of the condition and looks at how use of the term fell into disrepute. 

Joseph Lister's medical technique was first performed on August 12th, 1865.

In 1562 the young monarch was cured of a dangerous attack of smallpox.

Ole J Benedictow describes how he calculated that the Black Death killed 50 million people in the 14th century, or 60 per cent of Europe’s entire population.

Johann Weyer used his compassion and a pioneering approach to mental illness to oppose the witch-craze of early modern Europe.

Few things instil as much terror as a deadly contagion with no known cure.

As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues its dreadful march, Duncan McLean looks at the 600-year-old practice of isolating individuals and communities in order to bring an end to epidemics and assesses the effectiveness of such measures.

While most people have heard of the Black Death, medieval Europe was also afflicted by a less deadly but more perplexing epidemic: the English sweating sickness.