Beyond The Knife

Welcome to Beyond the Knife - where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by Human Remains Conservator and Anatomist Cat Irving to explore the fascinating medical history that may have inspired Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. From anatomical discoveries to experiments with electricity, we uncover the scientific ideas and medical practices that may have influenced one of literature’s most iconic Gothic novels.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis, Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons' Hall Museum, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty.

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife — where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by Human Remains Conservator and Anatomist Cat Irving to explore the fascinating and complex history of the Great Windmill Street Anatomy Theatre in London. Once a pioneering center for the study and teaching of anatomy, Great Windmill Street played an important role in shaping eighteenth-century medical education and our developing understanding of the human body.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.

In this episode Dr Theeba Krishnamoorthy uncovers the remarkable stories of early South Asian women in medicine and their connections to Edinburgh. Inspired by a search for women from a similar background within the history of her own profession, she discovered a largely overlooked legacy of pioneering doctors whose lives crossed continents, cultures and barriers. This podcast brings their stories back into the history of medicine and asks why they have remained hidden for so long.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by acclaimed singer-songwriter Hannah Rose Platt, whose haunting, cinematic storytelling blends music, theatre, and folklore to bring forgotten histories to life. We explore the remarkable women from medical history who inspired her concept album Fragile Creatures, uncovering the real stories behind the songs-from historical myths and medical misdiagnoses to the women whose experiences have too often been overlooked. Together, we discuss how history, medicine, and music can combine to challenge perceptions, honour untold lives, and inspire new conversations about women's healthcare.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

For more information about Hannah Rose Platt

https://orcd.co/fragilecreatures

https://www.hannahroseplatt.com/

https://www.instagram.com/hannahroseplattofficial

https://www.facebook.com/hannahroseplattofficial

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by Malcolm MacCallum, Curator of the Anatomical Museum at the University of Edinburgh, and Thomas Elliott, Head of Surgeons Hall Museum, as they explore the origins of the world's oldest medical school in the English-speaking world. Inspired by our latest exhibition, this episode uncovers the innovations behind Edinburgh’s medical success, the growth of its anatomical collections, and how the human cost of that progress is being reassessed today.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

Music Credit: Zap Splat

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by anatomist and human remains conservator Cat Irving as she explores the long and often bizarre history of gonorrhoea, from early diagnoses and eye-watering treatments to the strange phenomenon of “smurf syndrome.” Discover the medical misconceptions, curious cures, and social attitudes surrounding one of history’s most infamous diseases.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

Music Credit: Zap Splat

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife - where history and medicine collide. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Aaron Allen as he explores the early incorporation of Incorporation of Barber Surgeons in Edinburgh. From royal charters to the rise of organised craft, discover how barber surgeons carved out their place in the city’s powerful guild system. It’s a story of skill, status, and the foundations of a profession that would shape the future of surgery.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

Music Credit: Zap Splat

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife– where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by author and Neuropsychologist Andy Ellis.

Andy explores General Paralysis of the Insane, a devastating neurological condition that once baffled the medical world. Through the case of Sir Randolph Churchill, he examines not only its impact on the brain and behavior, but also the social conditions and attitudes that shaped how the disease was understood and treated.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.

Edited by John Kielty

Music Credit: Zap Splat

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife– where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by Surgeons Hall Museum Curator Louise Wilkie.

Louise explores the history of the Edinburgh Seven, examining how both supporters and opponents shaped the campaign that sought to secure women’s access to medical education at the University of Edinburgh. She discusses how this struggle not only challenged institutional resistance but also brought the wider issue of women’s right to university education firmly into the public spotlight.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.

Music Credit: Zap Splat

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Beyond the Knife– where history and medicine collide.

In this episode, we’re joined by Anatomist and Human Remains Conservator Cat Irving.

Cat explores the history of syphilis in Europe, examining the disease itself and the cultural reactions it provoked. From misguided cures to social shaming, this podcast reveals how fear and morality shaped the response to one of history’s most notorious illnesses.

This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.

Music Credit: Zap Splat

For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.