The Old Operating Theatre Museum

Well! This is awkward! On 4 November 1847, Dr. James Young Simpson first used the anesthetic qualities of chloroform on two guests at his dinner party. This was done for entertainment and not as a medical procedure! This is our #bottleoftheweek and isn't it just wonderful to learn about how chloroform was used in the past??? 😂 Please, do NOT try this at home!!!

Did you know? Urine analysis was the mirror of medicine for thousands of years and it led to the birth of laboratory medicine. But in the 17th century it was used as a fortune telling technique called uromancy. Practitioners were called Pisse Prophets or Pissmongers. Discover more at the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret. Photo: 19th c urine specimen bottle from our collection.

Did you know that medicine and alchemy were connected in the early modern period? Beyond trying to make gold, alchemy offered the 'panacea' – a medicine capable of healing all diseases. The print shows the combination of alchemy and medicine, done in 1512, and the other is a picture of our own alembic. Discover more at the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret!

Under the right light conditions, our phrenology model head looks pensive. Wait! Not familiar with the term phrenology??? Well, let me tell you all about it! Phrenology is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental faculties and traits of character. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules. It has been discredited by scientific research in the 20th century, but it was very popular until then.

An interesting question...

Have you ever considered working with us? Then now is your chance! We have two current vacancies: Education & Outreach Officer and Marketing & Sales Assistant! Follow the link for more information: http://oldoperatingtheatre.com/vacancies< br>

The atmosphere of the herb garret really changes after darkness falls. Discover more at the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret!

Ever wonder how Old St Thomas' Hospital looked like in the 18th c? Just like it appears in this print from 1758. See that tower on the right? That is St Thomas' church and the herb garret and the later 1822 operating theatre are located in its attic! London Bridge has really changed a lot!

On 29 May, join anaesthetist and historian Christine Ball as she explores the life of 19th century anaesthetist Joseph T. Clover. Clover played a pivotal role in the development of anaesthesia and the transformation of surgery from rapid dirty business to a carefully planned aseptic event. It's sure to be a fascinating talk - perfect if you're interested in the history of anaesthesia and surgery! You can book your tickets here: https://bit.ly/2XFqudh

We cannot confirm or deny that a British History show came to the museum to film an episode presented by a celebrity who interviewed our head of inspiration Julie Mathias (picture) and our curator Karen Howell. The mystery shall be revealed in due time! Sooo exciting!!!!

How was everyone's weekend? Looking forward to the week ahead? Here's something that will undoubtedly cheer you up: it's time for another #MorbidMonday 🎉
We'd like you all to give a big, warm welcome to Gosset's Stainless (truly, truly stainless) Steel Abdominal Retractor, from around 1955. What a stunner. Those two arms with the little 'P's on the end would have been used to widen a surgical incision in the abdomen and hold everything in place while the surgeon did their jig...gery-pokery with the internal organs beneath. This piece of kit is also self-retaining so would have been able to hold its position, nice and steady, all by itself. How clever. We know fully-grown adults who can't do that. Where the arms join the rod, the letters "B.B.F." are engraved, which are possibly the initials of an individual surgeon or a hospital department, or it possibly stands for "Best, Best Friends" which is what you and this abdominal retractor are sure to become, once you spend some quality time together.
Next time THAT colleague is annoying you, try shoving one of these in their mouths. Perhaps it will retract all their irritating comments. Well, it's worth a try. Let us know how you get on!
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Every corner in the museum is packed with fascinating stuff...seriously! Look at this corner which has more beautiful apothecary bottles and dried Apothecary's Roses. Did you know that the Apothecary’s Rose is known to be antibacterial, aromatherapeutic, and cordial, and used as an anticancer agent, tonic, and astringent? Well, the more you know the better, right?? Discover more at the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret.

We did it! We made it through another week! Now for your reward: it's #bottleoftheweek time! Just be careful not to get too friendly with this week's bottle, as it might, um, kill you. You can probably make out the word 'poison' and the skull and crossbones on the bottle. That's right. This bottle's a punk. It means business. Don't mess with this guy.
But isn't it so CUTE! That warming amber glow. The diminutive stature. The fact that it's trying so hard to be tough, but all you want to do is pinch its cheeks and go 'awww'.

This year the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret will be participating in Make Music Day on the Summer Solstice! What is Make Music Day? This is the UK’s contribution to the international summer solstice music celebration which first started in France in 1982 as Fête de la Musique and which now takes place in over 120 countries and 750 cities across the world. Make Music Day UK aims to turn the country into a stage and offer a full spectrum of performers the opportuni...ty to display their musical skills. All events are free to attend, including this one (although registration will be required)! Nevertheless, this event can't take place without the talented performers in our local area or beyond! So if you or someone you know would like the opportunity to play 1 to 3 songs in front of an audience for our Open Mic Session, now is the time to come forward! Sign up for our Open Mic Session lineup by sending an e-mail to Monica Walker at marketing@oldoperatingtheatre.com before 15 June, 2019. What are you waiting for?
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Join this surgical demonstration presented within the original architecture of the old operating theatre of St. Thomas’s Hospital of 1822. Before the advent of anaesthesia, an operation had to be swift. Without hand-washing or antiseptics, the chance of later infection was high.
You will experience the talk from the point of view of a 19th century medical student, or maybe even the patient! Join our wonderful speakers as they take you back in time and explain how surgery was ...done in the Victorian Era.
Information:
This event is not recommended for young children due to the nature of the topic Visitors will have time to look around the museum after the talk Access is through a 52-step spiral staircase Please note that the Museum does not have visitor toilet facilities Advance registration is required for this event. Tickets: £7.00.
Doors will open at 10:30 am for an 11:00 am start for the talk.
This talk is part of London MED+ Festival: Getting London Excited About Medicine.
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If we were into mad science, these are the types of beautiful glass containers that we would use for our experiments! Nope! These are not part of our #bottleoftheweek series; these are just lovely and useful any day of the week! 😉 Discover more at the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret.

On 29 May, join anaesthetist and historian Christine Ball as she explores the life of 19th century anaesthetist Joseph T. Clover. Clover played a pivotal role in the development of anaesthesia and the transformation of surgery from rapid dirty business to a carefully planned aseptic event. It's sure to be a fascinating talk - perfect if you're interested in the history of anaesthesia and surgery! You can book your tickets here: https://bit.ly/2XFqudh

Today's #ShopCuriosityoftheWeek is this gorgeous trinket tray, which was inspired by amputation saws from our collection. Just the thing for jewellery, your keys, spare change, the hearts of your enemies, that sort of thing. We're not getting these back in once they're sold out, so now's your chance!