Blogs

Archive volunteer Jessica Reeves, takes a look at the elusive 'philosopher's egg', a miraculous medicine of the early modern period.

Letters recently donated to the RCP archives provide glimpses of the ambition and intrigue of those surrounding George III during his episodes of illness, and of the joys and sorrows of the King himself.

‘That which never can be suppressed’: LGBTQ+ history in the RCP collections February every year is LGBTQ+ history month, and on Thursday 17th February 2022 we held our first ever event as part of it.

We are making our collection of medical recipe books freely available via the Internet Archive. Jessica Reeves has been uploading the volumes, and here examines the history of one of the stranger sounding ingredients, dragon's blood.

Please be advised that the article contains reference to miscarriage. 

Rare books and special collections librarian, Katie Birkwood explores a new book donation to the library, revealing perhaps a surprising view of women’s sexual health in the 1930s.

The RCP Archives, Heritage Library and Museum Services team were recently pleased to welcome Matilda Wood for a two-week placement as part of her Archives & Records Management masters degree. Matilda provided catalogue descriptions for our large collection of professional papers of James Mackenzie, and here tells us what she discovered. 

The RCP heritage library has been grateful to receive several donations of twentieth-century medical books in recent months, all of which complement and expand our existing collection of the history of medicine and physicianly work. Rare books and special collections librarian Katie Birkwood explores these exciting new acquisitions.

Museum Studies student Yuewei Wang makes a surprising discovery in a medical history collection, a work of art by one of China's most influential artists of the 20th century.

In the past, items for the museum were not always collected as carefully as we would today. Read on for the intriguing story of the portrait of RCP Fellow Richard Morton – or is it?

Did Chinese 'diagnostic dolls' really have a medical purpose? Museum studies student from the University of Leicester, Yuewei Wang explores this question.