There’s something going on here about how we don’t want to take full responsibility for our decisions; we don’t want to think through the issues properly, instead bringing in some text from the past as if it is entirely without its own historical context.
Category: drugs
The history of cancer: Part 3
(I was asked to make three short videos on the history of cancer, for the excellent liberal arts college, Gustavus Adolphus, where I spent a year. The theme of their annual Nobel Conference for 2020 was Cancer in the Age of Biotechnology. The videos are available here but if you prefer to read things, here… Continue reading The history of cancer: Part 3
Pliny on corns and bras
Pliny’s cure for corns was to look at the stars whilst oil was poured on the hinge of a door. Really??
Hair loss, ancient remedies and the power of colour
On writing for one of my favourite blogs... and finding a remedy in my family's papers!
Queen Victoria’s cannabis habit: again
Queen Victoria still grips our imaginations. The latest revelations, coming soon in the movie 'Victoria and Abdul', concern her attachment to an Indian Muslim called Abdul Karim, presented to her as a 'gift from India'. The book on which the film is based was written by Shrabani Basu. Although most of the Queen's letters to… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s cannabis habit: again
Mistaking histories 