Join Louise Robinson BSc (Hons) Anatomical Studies, on a journey of discovery through 19th century operating theatre practice, from a time before anaesthesia and antisepsis.
Content warning: The talk will include reference to surgical tools, surgery, bodies, blood, death and dying.
Age warning: Under 16s should be accompanied by a responsible adult.
My name is Leah Knight, and I am currently at student at Worcester Sixth Form College where I study History, Economics, and English Literature. Wanting to go on to study history at university next year, the opportunity to have a work experience placement at The Infirmary Museum and the George Marshall Medical Museum was something I was so excited to take up. During the week, while switching between the two locations, I was able to enhance my knowledge of medical history- something that is not featured in my A-level syllabus- but also explore in detail history that is local to me and discover things about the area that I never knew!
Over the course of my placement, I was able to complete a vast range of tasks that gave me an insight into the industry as well as the chance to tour the museums and learn about their rich history. One task I completed was transcribing oral histories that were recorded with healthcare staff about their experiences of the Covid 19 Pandemic. Not only was this extremely interesting to hear more from the perspective of those working on the front lines in healthcare, but also it was fascinating to compare this more recent medical history to what I had learnt about at the Infirmary in terms of the instruments used, key people, and general standards of medical practice- as an example, it was so interesting to hear about the strict covid isolation policies in hospitals used to prevent the spread of the virus in comparison to the fact that germ theory was not even published by Louis Pasteur until 1861 when the infirmary had already been operating for 90 years! In addition to this, other work included identifying links between the Infirmary’s history and the school curriculum to make the museums more beneficial to GCSE students and also creating records for various pieces that had been donated to the George Marshall Medical Museum. These included original photographs of the final service in the Jenny Lind Chapel that featured people such as Dorris Kershaw- a lady whose wonderful story is on display in the Infirmary Museum. Overall, I had such a valuable experience working at both museums and would encourage everyone to open their eyes to the incredible history on their doorstep by giving them both a visit.
A free evening of emotive talks brings together decades of research by Drs. Frank Crompton and Mark Gallagher, and the personal history of Ken Crump RMN, who nursed patients at Powick Mental Hospital until its final closure in 1988.
Find out more here: https://medicalmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/powicktalks
Get your tickets direct from Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evening-of-talks-redressing-the-balance-powick-mental-hospital-1852-1978-tickets-618942512717
A ward at the former infirmary. Photo-credit-George Marshall Medical Museum
Hello readers, my name is George Birtwhistle, I am a 15-year-old school student from Christopher Whitehead who at the time of writing this lovely blog (If I am to toot my own horn) is currently working through my work experience at the Charles Hastings and George Marshall Medical museums in Worcester and by God has it been an incredible experience.
Over the course of this wonderful week I have been educated of the history of the royal infirmary of Worcester and the former Powick mental hospital which shut its doors for the final time in 1989 after well over a century of service under its belt.
My Work experience began when I interviewed a former nurse who worked at Powick called Ken Krum (I think that’s how it’s spelled at least) who told me of the remarkability of the hospital and the patients themselves, while the 1968 documentary on the Hospital (Notably ward F-13 where the elderly female patients where neglected and mistreated until they could do naught but vegetate until their lives were finally snuffed out ) does show a negative side of the establishment, Ken told me of all of the good the hospital had done for the patients and the doctors who worked there.
Did you know that many of the Doctors live on the grounds of the hospital? Or that on every Friday night the patients would have balls in a large ballroom as a way to help them recover from whatever ailment they suffered from? Or that Sir Edward Elgar would conduct the music to the balls? The lives of the patients were usually very happy and they would often be able to leave after a few months within the hospital and even to those who would stay for years and even decades they would still see it as home.
A ward at the former infirmary. Photo-Credit- George Marshall Medical Museum
Then I was brought to the incredible Infirmary medical museum where there I would receive an interesting tour of the premises, it was an amazing experience and deeply fascinating as I learned about the building itself, it’s founders and even of the supposed ghost who haunts it.
I also was able to handle some extremely old and fascinating medicinal tools that were used by doctors throughout the 20th and 19th centuries (Even some bizarre stuff such as Uterine Dilators which were particularly yucky) but ultimately it was a very fun activity and hopefully in the future I’ll be able to do more of it because even if I don’t know what the tools or objects are…I’m a little goblin when it comes to history and that includes medical history and I doubt that I’m the only one out there, which is why I recommend the museums to everyone in the area if you’re interested in how medicine has developed over the years, they have everything from the inspiring to the depressing and from the tame to the grizzly. Come one, come all!
Photo-Credit- George Marshall Medical Museum
But back to me, I have done a lot of cool stuff over the course of the week and I’m sure you’ll be wondering whether or not there’s anything negative I can point out I can say that I don’t recommend doing any of the above when you have a cold, it’s obvious but hey…I’m recovering from on as I type this and believe me…Worrying about sneezing, coughing or spluttering on centuries old objects isn’t exactly an ideal pastime.
Well no matter what, It was still an incredible experience and I’m sure that you like I will learn a great deal of medicine and how it’s progressed over the centuries, from the Renaissance to the modern day, I bid you good luck and a good day