Indholdsfortegnelse for No. 128 i All About History

SCAN TO GET OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER When we say the words ‘Victorian medicine' what kinds of things come to mind? Small bottles and vials filled with tinctures and remedies with elaborate scrolled writing on them? A surgeon in a blood-spattered smock, wielding a gruesome hacksaw? Perhaps rows of beds with sickly patients being tended to by nurses working by candlelight? There is some truth to each of these images, but the Victorian era was a long one, encompassing more than 60 years of innovation and experimentation. The 'butchering art' of early surgery enjoyed massive advancements, drugs became more sophisticated and hygiene knowledge grew exponentially. This is the journey we wanted to explore with Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster, who is our guide through the key developments of surgery and health in Queen…

On Wednesday 15 January 1957, The Cavern Club first opened its doors to the public. Located in the basement of an unused warehouse, in years to come it would be recognised not only as the birthplace of The Beatles but also as one of the most famous music establishments in the entire world. The original intention of the club was to be a venue for modern jazz, with owner Alan Sytner specifically forbidding the playing of rock and roll. But when he sold the club in 1959, the new owner Ray McFall had a different approach. In fact, ambitious plans for the club to become “the leading jazz centre in the country outside London‘’ were quickly abandoned when he saw the popularity of rock and roll and beat music. The…

OPHTHALMOSCOPE Hermann von Helmholtz, Germany, 1851 The ophthalmoscope enables opticians and doctors to closely examine the interior surface of the eye, which is useful not only for accurately prescribing glasses but can also be used to examine retinal blood vessels and detect high blood pressure and arterial disease. Glaucoma and tumours can also be discovered using an ophthalmoscope. Using reflecting glass and a concave lens, Helmholtz developed a way to enable physicians to illuminate the retina and observe it at the same time. HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Charles Pravaz or Alexander Wood (disputed), France/Scotland, 1850s Hypodermic (meaning 'beneath the skin') syringes are used to inject substances into or extract liquids from the body. They consist of a very thin, hollow needle attached to a syringe. It was impossible to perform injections without…

Tamar the Great From the 11th to the 13th century, Georgia experienced a Golden Age: a period of time where Georgian power was at its highest and art and culture flourished. As the territories of the state were expanded, one woman stood at the country's head. Queen Tamar (c.1160 - c.1213) was the most notable monarch of this era as she led Georgia's transformation during the peak of its strength and influence. This much-loved queen has since remained a symbol of Georgian pride in the centuries following her death. A Queen is Born Tamar's route to the throne was unusual, particularly as a woman in the Middle Ages. Though her exact date of birth is unknown, historians believe she was born sometime between 1160 and 1165, the daughter of King…

Among the many brave individuals who played their part in leading the Allies to victory in World War II, one undersung but incredibly bold group deserve some attention – the glider pilots and those who journeyed with them. Flying without engines or defences, these remarkable aviators took troops on one-way trips to the heart of the battle. We spoke with Scott McGaugh, author of the new book Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin that chronicles some of the stories of those involved in these daring missions. What roles did gliders play in WWII? Gliders led major World War II invasions across Europe, ahead of the Allied ground troops. At Normandy, in southern France, into Holland (A Bridge Too Far) and across the Rhine into Germany. The volunteer glider pilots were often…

On 15 July 1997, 27-year-old Andrew Cunanan murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. Eight days later Cunanan took his own life on a houseboat he had broken into, owned by German Torsten Reineck. Bizzarely, found among the items on the houseboat was a passport for Sealand, and Reineck even had diplomatic plates for Sealand on his car. It soon became apparent that a criminal gang had been manufacturing fake Sealand passports and selling them through a website. Some buyers would use Sealand passports to open bank accounts in false names and attempt to draw out hundreds of millions of dollars. One such individual even identified himself as the minister of economic affairs for Sealand. At one point, for $1,000 another group purportedly sold…

In the late 16th century, plans were floated throughout the increasingly powerful Spanish Empire for a possible conquest of China. Many of those in the recently acquired Spanish territory of Manila, including governor Francisco de Sande, were in favour of using the Philippines to stage such an attack. Were it not for the reluctance on the part of Philip II, who was occupied with threats in Europe, perhaps an invasion would have been launched. But could it have been successful? Or would it have resulted in disaster? Why did the Spanish Empire contemplate invading China? At the very beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish were competing with the Portuguese and wanted to seize a port similar to Macau. Spain’s initial interest in China arose from early contacts between the…

As a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848, Dante Gabriel Rossetti has been a figure of fascination for his medieval revivalist style of painting and poetry. His sister, Christina Rossetti, was a writer in her own right whose work saw her become one of the most revered Victorian poets. His wife, Elizabeth Siddal, acted as a muse in her earlier life for several eminent Pre-Raphaelite artists and is the subject of some of the most famous paintings in the world, most notably in John Everett Millais’ Ophelia. After she met Dante Gabriel Rossetti, her own career as an artist began to take off and she made a name for herself as more than just a muse. Now, Tate Britain is bringing together work from this distinguished family in a…

11 April 1961 EICHMANN TRIAL BEGINS In Jerusalem, Israel, Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi who'd fled to Argentina after World War II, was put on trial for, among other charges, crimes against the Jewish people and against humanity. Eichmann had been instrumental in carrying out the Nazis' 'Final Solution’ and had arranged for the deportation of 1.5 million Jews from around Europe to extermination camps. The televised trial garnered international interest as the devastating events of the Holocaust were brought to the forefront of public consciousness. Eichmann was eventually found guilty and executed. 6 April 1974 ABBA WINS EUROVISION At the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, UK, Swedish band ABBA made history by winning with their song Waterloo, which was the first Eurovision entry to win that was not sung in the artists'…

1 BOB DYLAN CENTER TULSA, OKLAHOMA Bob Dylan is one of rock and roll’s most famous singers, with a career spanning over six decades. He began as a folk singer but during the 1960s Dylan started to experiment with more rock and roll stylings. Unlike most other artists in the genre he is also renowned as a gifted wordsmith whose lyrics demonstrate a poetic skill for the written word. Among the singer-songwriter’s most famous works are Blowin’ in the Wind and The Times They Are a-Changin’. The Bob Dylan Center is a tribute to this musical genius and houses a vast collection of artefacts related to his career, including hand-written song manuscripts and memorabilia. There is a screening room, in which can be viewed rare and previously unseen footage and archive…

ANAESTHETIC William TG Morton, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States, 16 October 1846 It wasn't until 16 October 1846 that William TG Morton's research saw the first surgical demonstration using a real anaesthetic. He had experimented with different chemicals to find one that rendered the patient unconscious so they were unable to move or feel pain while the procedure was being carried out. His chemical of choice was ether gas, given to a patient to inhale, before painlessly removing a tooth. ANTISEPTIC Joseph Lister, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland, 12 August 1865 Joseph Lister had been present at the first surgical procedure and was aware of Louis Pasteur's research on microorganisms. He started experimenting with chemicals with the theory that they could kill the germs before they could infect a patient.…

REVIEWS The books, TV shows and films causing a stir in the history world this month Certificate: 15 Director: Various Cast: Jada Pinkett Smith, Adesuwa Oni, Chipo Kureya Released: Out now Njinga Mbande (c.1583 – 1663) ruled the kingdom of Ndongo and Matamba during the 17th century. Today, in the country now known as Angola, she is celebrated as an anti-colonialist icon, her achievements fighting wars against Portugal gaining wider interest and acknowledgement outside her homeland. This Netflix-backed production, however, executively produced by Hollywood star Jada Pinkett Smith, who serves as a type of offscreen scene-setter at the start of each episode, disappointingly fumbles Njinga’s epic life story. No-one can rightly expect the depth and nuance of a history book from a four-part television documentary-drama, but the series might have…

On The Menu Did you know? The aristocrats of the British Raj added more expensive ingredients, like salmon and veal, to their versions of kedgeree Ingredients 50g ghee (or butter) 1 medium onion 3 cardamom pods, bruised 1 tsp of ground turmeric 1 tsp of curry powder 1 small cinnamon stick 1 dried bay leaf (or two fresh) 450g basmati rice 1 litre of chicken or fish stock (fresh if possible) 750g smoked haddock fillet 3 eggs 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 lemon, cut into wedges Kedgeree is a fascinating example of how Indian cuisine was adopted and adapted by British people living and working in India and then exported back home. Indian spices began appearing in Britain from the 18th century, becoming more widely available through the next…

In the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, a surgeon called Dr Robert Liston was working at a London hospital. He had a considerable reputation. In one of his many infamous cases, he was amputating a patient's leg when his flaying knife accidentally removed his assistant's fingers. The patient died from an infection, as did the luckless assistant, while someone watching the operation died from shock after Liston's knife slashed through the poor man's coat tails. It remains the only operation in surgical history with a 300 percent mortality rate. The problem with this story is that it probably isn't true. The only evidence it happened comes from a book called Great Medical Disasters written more than a century later, in 1983, by the doctor and author Richard Gordon (1921…

HISTORY OF MICRONATIONS On 3 October 1990, East Germany was reunited with West Germany after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It might come as a surprise, then, to learn that the Republic of Molossia still claims to be at war with the defunct state. Never heard of Molossia? You wouldn’t be the first. Located in Nevada (having been moved from Oregon) and made up of 6.3 acres, this military dictatorship has a currency tied to the value of cookie dough and views walruses as a form of contraband. Though it may sound like something out of a Monty Python sketch, Molossia is part of the wacky world of micronations, where anything is possible. The Collins Dictionary defines a micronation as “an entity, typically existing only on the internet or…

In the ruins of Berlin in 1945, a book with a curious inscription was discovered in the personal library of Adolf Hitler. The deluxe volume of poems, co-authored by a Nazi Dutch writer, contained illustrations from artist and fellow countryman Han van Meegeren. Within its pages, van Meegeren had seemingly penned a glowing dedication to his "beloved Führer|", which posed a considerable threat to the painter who had by then been arrested as a potential Nazi collaborator, with a possible jail sentence looming over him. But it was to be his association with another Nazi leader - notorious art plunderer Hermann Göring - that would garner the vast majority of the public's attention. A few years earlier, the German Reichsmarschall had purchased a painting he believed to be the creation…

Greatest Battles As 1776 drew to a close, the rebel army under George Washington had suffered a string of demoralising defeats. Worse than that, they had often proved unable to stand against the larger British army, led by General William Howe. The Americans had broken and run at the Battle of Long Island and during the British landings on Manhattan. Washington was scrabbling to hold together the remnants of his army. As Christmas approached, the British settled down for a winter in New York and made plans for their 1777 campaign. Howe prepared an overwhelming combination of operations and the revolutionary cause looked to be on the verge of dying, but while Howe made his plans for the following year, Washington had ideas to act much sooner than that. When…

HISTORY VS HOLLYWOOD Fact versus fiction on the silver screen Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino Country: USA Year: 2021 01 House of Gucci is the story of Patrizia Reggiani’s marriage to Maurizio Gucci, the battle for control of the Gucci brand and Reggiani’s hiring of an assassin to kill Maurizio. Her mistaking him for a bartender is fictional, but he did compare her to Elizabeth Taylor. 02 Jeremy Irons portrays the actor Rodolfo Gucci, Maurizio’s father. In the film Rodolfo takes a dislike to Patrizia and disapproves of his son’s romance with her. He really did mistrust Patrizia and considered her to be a social climber. 03 Jared Leto’s portrayal of Paulo Gucci treats him mostly as a comedic figure. In particular, his designs are shown…