About

Morbid History is a collection of macabre articles from the annals of history, with a focus on health and medicine. It is a showcase of research undertaken by the author, and aims to share knowledge and spark curiosity.

Come back every Wednesday for a new article. Be sure to comment!

About the Author

Danielle Dray is an independent researcher with a special interest in medical and psychiatric history. She studied at Dundee and St Andrews before working with various museums and heritage organisations across Scotland.

She is currently a freelancer in the heritage sector, specialising in collections and disaster preparedness.

One of her most prized possessions is 1904 copy of A Pictorial Atlas of Skin Diseases by J.J. Pringle.

Image Credits

All images credited to the Wellcome Collection, with the exception of:

Leonid Rogozov; Credit: Dr Vladislav Rogozov

Radium Girls; Credit: www.libraries.rutgers.edu

Lead Petrol Pump; Credit: Joe Mabel, Creative Commons

Asbestos Cooking Mats; Credit: Akela, Creative Commons

Zyklon B Cannisters; Credit: Oleg Yunakov, Creative Commons

Mask of Alphonse Louis; Credit: http://avantkinema.blogspot.com/2019/04/alphonsos-jaw-installation-film-2016.html

Hairball Bezoar; Credit: University of Dundee Museum Services

Sanitised Tapeworm Advert; Credit: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) America

Mortsafes at Logierait Church; Credit: Judy Willson, Creative Commons

Electrocuting an Elephant; Credit: Edwin S. Porter or Jacob Blair Smith / Edison Manufacturing Company, Creative Commons