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rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
RCPSG Heritage
@rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
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News, events and stories from the library, archive and museum at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
https://heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/ #histmed #libraries #archives #museums
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Amputation knife (c.1800) of William Beatty, surgeon on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. The curved blade was a popular style in the late 1700s/early 1800s. These were replaced by straighter blades in the mid-1800s to ensure more accurate incisions
Curved steel blade with wooden handle lying on a red cloth
November 27, 2025 at 4:36 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Our College hall always looks so cosy and inviting on a cold, dark, rainy #Glasgow evening 😊
Exterior of our College Hall which has white bricks and three large windows. The Hall is lit up inside creating a cheery glow on a dismal evening.
November 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Suffering from the sniffles? Here's a recipe to make a "fine tablet for the cough and coold" from our 18th century herbal notebook.
handwritten recipe for a cough tablet using sugar, aniseed and ginger
November 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1915 former president of our College, Tom Gibson, pioneer of #plasticsurgery. He made an outstanding contribution to 20th Century medicine by developing a hypothesis that laid the scientific foundation of tissue and organ transplantation heritageblog.rcpsg.ac.uk/2015/11/24/p...
Photograph of Tom Gibson wearing a red gown with blue trim and yellow hood.
November 24, 2025 at 12:06 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
On the origin of species by Charles Darwin was published #OnThisDay 1859. We're lucky enough to have a first edition in our collection 😊
Our 1st edition of on the origin of species. The book is open to show the title page
November 24, 2025 at 11:33 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Love the design on the case for this 19th century set of ophthalmology instruments 😍. The set contains two spuds (to removing foreign bodies), two lens hooks and two capsulotomy knives for cataract surgery.
Wooden box with a floral design painted all over in black. On the lid is an illustration of an eye Wooden box partially open to reveal a purple velvet lining Lid removed from box to show six eye instruments with wooden handles, They are in a protective velvet tray.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
We had a lovely day yesterday with Helen Kellock and all those who came along to our #BookWeekScotland event. Lots of fun making paper birds inspired by our beautiful copies of JJ Audubon's Birds of America
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social
An assortment of paper bird ornaments hanging on some branches which have been placed in a yellow vase. Shelves of books can be seen in the background. Photo courtesy of Helen Kellock A page from Audubon's Birds of America showing the Sparrow Hawk An assortment of paper bird decorations all laid out on a small round table
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Today is #WorldDiabetesDay. In the Middle Ages, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) gave an account of diabetes mellitus in his Canon of Medicine. He described a number of clinical features relating to diabetes, most notably the sweetness of the urine produced by diabetic patients
Title page of Liber canonis, De medicinis cordialibus, et Cantica by Avicenna. Our edition dates from 1544. Around the edge of the page are illustrations of famous physicians and philosophers including Avicenna, Galen and Hippocrates
November 14, 2025 at 12:04 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
A view of St Vincent Street looking west towards our College buildings. We relocated to St Vincent Street in 1862. The artwork is by Glasgow artist, Muirhead Bone and dates from 1911. The rain soaked pavements seem particularly appropriate today!☔️
Illustration by Muirhead Bone showing a rain-soaked St Vincent Street c.1911. A male figure can be seen walking up the hill and three figures stand in the road. Georgian style buildings line the street and a church spire can be seen in the background.
November 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
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Born #OnThisDay 1774, Charles Bell, Scottish surgeon, anatomist and talented artist. This stunning illustration by Bell was based on his own dissection work. Bell is perhaps best remembered for describing "Bell's Palsy".
#OTD #anatomy #histmed
Illustration of a man with his head resting on his arm. The scalp has been peeled back to reveal the brain
November 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Nurse Annie Allan stands beside the grave of her colleague, Sister Burt. Scottish Women's Hospitals, Salonika, 1916. #ArmisticeDay #Remembrance
Black and white photo of a graveyard filled with wooden crosses. A nurse stands besides one of the graves
November 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1873, Dr Archibald Young, pioneer in the operative treatment of fractures and in the study of methods of relieving pain. During #WWI he acted as a neurological expert focusing on nerve injuries. Young was President of our College from 1935-37
#onthisday #histmed
Oil painting of Archibald Young. He is wearing a light grey waistcoat and jacket and a black tie and has white hair
November 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Today's #Museum30 is all about a #box. This lovely gavel casket in our collection was made using timber from the former Lister Ward at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

The box was presented to the College to remember Andrew and William Brown who were instrument makers for Joseph Lister and William Macewen.
A wooden box with an image of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary carved onto the front panel. The lid has a plaque inserted into it detailing its origins A close up of the head of one of the gavels from the box. It is made of wood and has a metal plaque attached to the end saying it was used in Macewen's theatre at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Box open to show two gavels. One is made of wood and the other from ivory. A photo of two men is pasted to the inside of the lid
November 7, 2025 at 2:43 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Marie Curie was born #OnThisDay 1867.

Madame Curie visited Glasgow in 1929, being hosted by Professor Archibald Young and Mrs Anna Young.

Here is a photo of Irene Curie, Madame Curie, and Mrs Young enjoying the fresh Scottish air at Loch Fyne 😅

#heritage #mariecurie
Black and white photo showing three women standing in front of a rock face. The women are wrapped up in big coats and don't look particularly thrilled to be out in the fresh Scottish air!
November 7, 2025 at 11:55 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Cupping set (c.1850) to draw bad matter in the blood toward the surface of the skin, away from vital organs. #histmed
A set of 4 glass cups of various sizes placed in front of a black leather box. Next to it is an empty bottle which would have contained oil.
November 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
We have lots of student notebooks containing sketches on anatomy, diseases etc, however, this one is by far our favourite. It shows Joseph Lister, father of antiseptic surgery, disappearing through a trapdoor after his lecture in Glasgow in 1868. Now that's how to make an exit!
#Museum30 #Sketchbook
A pen sketch showing an old style lecture theatre with wooden banches. In the middle of the room. Lister can be seen dropping through a trapdoor in the floor
November 4, 2025 at 12:02 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
Day 3 of #Museum30 is all about #Eyes and these artificial glass eye lenses fit the bill perfectly. They were manufactured c.1900 and are stored in a tiny wooden box.
Two very small glass lenses Small, round wooden box. On the lid is written "lenses of artificial eye"
November 3, 2025 at 12:27 PM
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We had a fantastic time last night at our sold out event, Daemonologie. Thank you so much to everyone who came along to hear all about King James VI and his obsession with witches. And a HUGE thanks to Steven Veerapen for the wonderful talk - a perfect warm up for #Halloween! 🎃
A darkly lit room with a balcony covered in fairy lights. At the far end is a projection screen with a photo of the daemonologie book on it. People fill rows of chairs in front of the screen Steven Veerapen standing behind a copy of the book, Daemonologie. The book is lying open on a grey cushion Title page of Daemonologie
October 31, 2025 at 3:27 PM
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Here's proof, if proof were needed, that witches and ghosts really do exist!

'Saducismus triumphatus - Full & plain evidence concerning witches and apparitions' (c.1682) by Joseph Glanvill, discusses witchcraft, poltergeists, levitations, and apparitions.

Happy #Halloween 🎃
Illustration in the Glanvill book showing six spooky scenes including levitation, devils and witches
October 31, 2025 at 12:25 PM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
#OnThisDay 1915 the Girton & Newnham Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospitals set sail from Liverpool to Serbia to set up a hospital unit in Salonika. This photo, taken 2 days before they departed, is from the album of Nurse Annie Allan heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/items/show/408
#histnursing #histmed #WW1
Black and white photo of a group of women. The are arranged in rows with the skyline of Liverpool in the background. They are wearing long overcoats and hats.
October 30, 2025 at 10:51 AM
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This very good boy is Buller. He was photographed at Mearnskirk hospital c.1930. We don't know much about Buller, but he's in a collection of photos entitled "hospital staff" so we like to think he was Top Dog on the wards 🐶
Black and white photograph of a dog sitting sideways on to the camera. Some small fir trees can be seen behind him.
October 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
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Scottish surgeon Robert Liston, was born #onthisday 1794. He was renowned for his speed and dexterity when performing amputations. This was in part due to the instruments he used several of which he designed himself. His long, sharp Liston knives were a staple of 19th century amputation sets.
A set of amputation tools in a wooden case lined with red velvet. 5 steel Liston knives are lined up next to each other in the back section of the case.
October 28, 2025 at 11:11 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
A Vapo-Cresoline Spirit Lamp (c.1900).
The manufacturers claimed that it could cure any respiratory disease, including asthma and whooping cough, by providing a cleansing vaporised gas that opened up the airways.
Victorian style oil lamp and box
October 27, 2025 at 12:03 PM
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Today is #WorldPolioDay. In 1958 the #NHS launched a programme to vaccinate all under 15s against polio & diphtheria. This photo was taken 10 years before the vaccination programme and shows a polio patient at Mearnskirk hospital.
Black and white photo of a young child sitting on a hospital bed attended to by two nurses.
October 24, 2025 at 8:48 AM
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
One of the oldest items in our museum collection is this amazing trephine set dating from c.1740. It was made by Edward Stanton of London and contains 4 trephines, forceps, raspatory, lenticular, elevator and a tiny brush.
heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/items/show/523
Wooden box opened to show the trephine instruments inside. The lining of case is padded with green velvet with a fitted recess for each instrument
October 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM