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Stories

  • Article

Female masturbation and the perils of pleasure

Dr Kate Lister exposes the brutal 19th-century ‘cures’ for women who indulged in masturbation.

  • Article

Diagnosing the past

Historical texts rarely supply enough detail for a definitive diagnosis, so medical historians need to proceed with caution.

  • Article

What is hysteria?

Hysteria has long been associated with fanciful myths, but its history reveals how it has been used to control women’s behaviour and bodies

  • Article

The secret sting of cystitis

Agnes Arnold-Forster recounts her experiences of cystitis, explaining how this illness intersects with sexism, shame, and stigma from medical professionals.

All stories (5)

Images

  • Female genitalia with a skin disease surrounding the anus. Chromolithograph, c. 1888.
  • Female genitalia with a skin disease around the labia and the anus. Chromolithograph, c. 1888.
  • Female genitalia with a skin disease. Coloured stipple engraving by S. Tresca after Moreau-Valvile, c. 1806.
  • A penis with a patch of skin disease on the shaft; and female genitalia with a skin disease around the labia and vulva. Chromolithograph, c. 1888.
  • Severely diseased genitals of a man. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, 1875.
  • Diseased genitals and groin of a man. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, 1856.
  • Severely diseased genitals of a man. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, ca. 1860.
  • Severely diseased genitals and thighs of a woman. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, 1864.
  • Severely diseased legs and genitals of a man. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, 18--.
  • Severely diseased, inflamed and deformed genitals of a man. Watercolour by C. D'Alton, 18--.
All images (112)

Catalogue

All works (1.2K)