The surgical theatre can be a place of high drama and intense emotions. But do we expect our surgeons to be stoic and dispassionate or caring and sympathetic – and how have our expectations changed over time?
Two speakers contrast the era of pre-anaesthetic surgery with the cultural portrayals of surgeons after World War II. You’ll have the chance to view rare printed materials, ask questions and join the discussion.
We’ll be in the Viewing Room. It’s next to the Library entrance on level 2, which you can reach by taking the lift or the stairs.
If this event is fully booked, you may still be able to attend. We will operate a waiting list, which opens 30 minutes before this event starts. Arrive early, and we’ll give you a numbered ticket. If there are any unfilled places just before the start time, we will invite you to enter in order of ticket number.
For more information, please visit our Accessibility page. If you have any queries about accessibility, please email us at access@wellcomecollection.org or call 0 2 0. 7 6 1 1. 2 2 2 2
Dr Michael Brown is a cultural historian of medicine, surgery, gender and war, with a special interest in emotions and identities.
Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster is a writer and historian of healthcare, medicine, and the emotions. She is the author of two books, ‘The Cancer Problem’ (OUP, 2021) and ‘Cold, Hard Steel: The Myth of the Modern Surgeon’ (MUP, 2023) and her third, ‘Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion’, will be published by Picador in April 2024. She is a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, and together with Caitjan Gainty, she runs the Healthy Scepticism project.
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