Casenotes Past & Present is a Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh podcast.

In this fortnight’s episode we look into the past and present of haematology. Discover what it meant to be sanguinous, why early blood transfusions were prohibited by Parliament and how WW2 transformed the infrastructure of blood donation in the UK.

We talk to Professor Marie Copeland about her experience working as a specialist in leukaemia at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. We discuss the differences between a haematologist and haematopathologist, why iron is important for blood and how the management of some blood related conditions has changed.

Lastly, we explore the complicated history of haemophilia in the Royal family and why it became known as the ‘Royal disease’.

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Credits

Editor and producer: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte.

Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers.

Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history.