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Stories

  • Article

The origins and meanings of pharmacy symbols

What have snakes, unicorns and crocodiles got to do with pharmacies? The history of these modern signs goes back to the Greek gods.

  • Article

Making sunstroke insanity

Medical historian Dr Kristin Hussey takes a closer look at sunstroke and mental illness, and how, in the late 19th century, they connected at the crossroads of colonial science and the idea of whiteness.

  • Article

When monarchs healed the sick

Our current Queen fortunately doesn’t have to spend hours laying hands on the sick to cure them. But it was a different story for monarchs of the early modern era, whose touch was a sought-after treatment for scrofula.

All stories (3)

Images

  • A cross incorporating a montage of pink heart muscles, pink triangles, crossed red and green squares, the AIDS red ribbon on a stamp, flowers, a hand and a version of the American flag; on a background coloured in green crayon incorporating a montage of photographs including Christ's head of thorns and a hand injecting a syringe into an arm; on a further black background bearing the brown lettering: 'el colonialismo' [colonialism]; advertising the danger of AIDS. Colour lithograph by Juan Sánchez, ca. 1995.
  • A cross with pink hearts within a montage
  • A queen chess piece next to a condom on a chess board with the diagonal statement in Spanish 'Queen takes control'; advertising the danger of AIDS. Colour lithograph by Ana Busto/Caterina Borelli, ca. 1994.
  • A queen chess piece next to a condom on a chess board with the diagonal statement in Spanish 'Queen takes control'; one of a series of anti-AIDS posters produced by Artis entitled 'Imágenes contra el SIDA' [Images against AIDS]. Colour lithograph by Ana Busto/Caterina Borelli, ca. 1994.
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Catalogue

All works (70)