Epi Belfast

Blitz 1941 - Epidemic Belfast Developed in partnership with: /*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=

We've been working with Northern Ireland Screen: Digital Film Archive to curate a selection of films on the history of health and medicine in Northern Ireland.

The footage captures a glimpse into various aspects of medical history including public health broadcasts, patients with influenza and tonsilitis, disability, hospital staff, poor housing and chemists.

https://digitalfilmarchive.net/collection/guest-collection-epidemic-belfast-239

🚢 Ulster University's Ian Miller, with Epidemic Belfast and Rhianne Morgan, is preserving Belfast's shipbuilding legacy through oral histories. From the Titanic to the Harland and Wolff cranes, celebrate the city's remarkable maritime history. 🌊⚓

https://epidemic-belfast.com/health-and-injury-in-the-shipyards/

50 years ago, Britain's government decided to force-feed a number of Troubles-related hunger strikers. Some prisoners endured force-feeding until July 1974.

Read about the international outcry and prisoners experiences in this article by Ian Miller (Ulster University)

tinyurl.com/bdesbcpk

Hunger Strikers and Force-Feeding during the Troubles - Epidemic Belfast By Ian Miller, Ulster University In 1975, the force-feeding of Northern Irish prisoners led the World Medical Association (WMA) to establish stricter guidance on how doctors respond to hunger strikes. Force-feeding, always considered an ethically dubious practice, had been used in British and Irish....

Belfast's shipyard workers were exposed daily to injury, fatal accidents, explosions, poor health and asbestos.

Working with Sailortown heritage group S.H.I.P. (Shared History Interpretative Project), we've produced six fascinating new oral histories by Rhianne Morgan, and an accompanying article with Ian Miller.

Visit:

Health and Injury in the Shipyards - Epidemic Belfast Developed in conjunction with: /*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=

Meet Mrs Moffat, a busy midwife who delivered babies in East Belfast in the 1960s.

Decades later, Mrs Moffat's family found her midwives’ bag in an attic. The bag still contained her midwifery tools.

With EastSide Partnership, we’ve recreated Mrs Moffat’s working life using visual history, videos and shortarticles by Caitlin Smith and Ian Miller.

Explore our new content: epidemic-belfast.com/the-midwifes-bag/

The Midwife’s Bag - Epidemic Belfast Developed in partnership with: /*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=

A 19th-century Liebrich opthalmoscope, with a simple retinal mirror on a wooden handle, held in a leather case with spare lenses. The opthalmoscope is thought to have been invented in Germany in 1851. Patients with eye problems would have encountered the ophthalmoscope when having the health of their retina, optic disc and other parts of the eye examined. Dilating the pupil to open it up with a light, and using the various lenses, offered a simple, effective way of examining the parts of the eye behind it.

One of the many items held at Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland.

At the Mulhouse Building, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast is a mysterious chest containing medical objects. No-one is sure how it got there. It’s connected to local doctor, James McCleery, surgeon at Clifton House.

This year, we've been working with the library team to work out what doctors once used the various items for.

Discover more: https://epidemic-belfast.com/a-mysterious-medical-chest/

The items will be exhibited at Clifton House and in the Healthcare Library in 2023 and 2024.

A Mysterious Medical Chest - Epidemic Belfast At the historic Mulhouse Building at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast (now part of the Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland) can be found a mysterious chest containing medical objects. No-one is sure how it got there.

Introducing the Epidemic Belfast walking tour (self-directed)!

We've left lots of copies at Belfast's major tourist attractions or download a PDF: https://epidemic-belfast.com/walking-tour/

While you're there, check out our new images and video galleries too.

Tour created by Rebecca Watterson and Ian Miller (with AHRC funding).

Fancy a hole in the head?

Trepanning was controversially revived in the 19th century to cure severe mental health problems and infections such as meningitis.

One of the many medical items held at Northern Ireland Healthcare Library.

Check out our new image gallery: http://tinyurl.com/j9x79kps

Red Cross Nurse uniform worn during the Belfast Blitz (early 1940s).

Red cross personnel were active in Northern Ireland during the Second World War. The Irish Red Cross provided medical care during the Belfast Blitz (1941). Members of the American Red Cross arrived in Northern Ireland from 1942.

One of the many items which we found at Northern Ireland War Memorial.

Check out our new image gallery: https://epidemic-belfast.com/gallery/

With our recent AHRC funding, we’ve been working with local museums and libraries to explore their medical collections.

One of our most interesting finds is John’s coc-aine prescription box (1907). The drug was commonly prescribed for various ailments until its addictiveness became apparent.

Visit our new image gallery here: https://epidemic-belfast.com/gallery/

Courtesy of Health Care Library of Northern Ireland (Royal Victoria Hospital)

Want to explore Belfast's medical history while walking around the city?

Coming soon! Epidemic Belfast's walking trail.

Including an app designed by trained medical historians, this is the best way to discover Belfast's medical heritage on foot.

Guided tours may be available upon request.

The Epidemic Belfast team were delighted to receive an invitation to speak at the Digital Festival for the History of Science this week.

A recording of our presentation can be found here:

#BSHSDigiFest23 Epidemic Belfast Welcome to our BSHS Digital Festival 2023! Enjoy many of our live sessions on YouTube. If you want to ask questions and get in touch in discussions, you can ...

On the 75th anniversary of the NHS, why not browse through our podcast episodes and original articles which explore Northern Ireland's medical history?

Our website offers nuanced, critical reflections on the region's rich medical history.

https://epidemic-belfast.com

Epidemic Belfast team members Ian Miller and Rhianne Morgan (and also Conor Heffernan) have put together eight new podcast episodes.

These focus on food poverty across Ireland, from historical and present-day perspectives.

Visit: https://shows.acast.com/food-poverty-across-ireland-past-current-and-future-perspect/episodes

(With technical assistance from our contributors Hannah Brown and Rebecca Brown)

Food Poverty across Ireland: Past, Current and Future Perspectives Symposium A symposium held on 5 May 2023 at Ulster University's Magee campus.

In the early twentieth century, fears proliferated that unregulated midwifery was increasing Irish infant mortality rates.

In this new article, Caitlin Smith, PhD researcher at Ulster University, discusses Belfast's history of midwifery.

tinyurl.com/4mtxpu3h

Regulating Midwifery in Early 20th-Century Belfast - Epidemic Belfast By Caitlin Smith, Ulster University During the early decades of the twentieth century, local and state governments became increasingly concerned with the regulation of midwifery both in Ireland and Britain. This grew from a fear that uncontrolled midwifery practices increased infant mortality rates....

Do you have memories of Ulster Women & Children Hospital, Templemore Avenue, Belfast?

Then come and join us for tea and a chat. EastSide Visitor Centre, Belfast BT4 1HH.

Ulster University’s Epidemic Belfast team is collecting memories, oral histories and memorabilia to help preserve the history of this important hospital.

We’re also interested in collecting and digitising any other memories, artefacts and material relating to the history of health, medicine and well-being in Northern Ireland.

For more info visit our website: www.epidemic-belfast.com or alternatively contact: [email protected]

Did you know that workhouses once offered medical care and hospital provision?

In our new episode, we talk to Dr Robyn Atcheson (QUB) about
life, death, health and medicine in the Belfast workhouse.

Health, Medical Care and the Victorian Workhouse - Epidemic Belfast Robyn Atcheson, who lectures at Queen's University Belfast, discusses health and medical conditions in Belfast's workhouse system.

Are you interested in exploring Northern Ireland's medical history?

The Epidemic Belfast team is spending the entire Halloween weekend at Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra

Full details to follow shortly

tinyurl.com/yc47dbcf

Hallowe’en at Ulster Folk Museum | Ards & North Down Experiences, Children's Events, Family Friendly, Halloween, Shows and Displays | What's On in Belfast: Events | Visit Belfast Enjoy a traditional Hallowe’en at Ulster Folk Museum with special Halloween crafts, fayre to try, turnip carving demonstrations and a magician.

The Epidemic Belfast team are delighted to be taking part in Féile an Phobail.

On Monday 8th August, 1pm, we will count down our ten most intriguing, gruesome and harrowing findings. St Mary’s University College, Falls Road.

HIV/AIDS has been a global problem since the 1980s.

In our new article, Ulster University History PhD researcher Rebecca Brown explores the impacts of HIV/AIDS in Belfast, especially on LGBT communities.

https://epidemic-belfast.com/the-aids-crisis-in-belfast/

Alternatively, listen to our podcast interview on the 1980s AID crisis here:

https://epidemic-belfast.com/podcast/living-with-hiv-in-belfast/

Living with HIV in Belfast - Epidemic Belfast Rebecca Brown, MA student at Ulster University and Eugenie Scott, PhD candidate at Ulster University discuss the AIDS crisis and interview Greg Owen about his experience as a gay man living with HIV in Belfast.

A short piece by Ian Miller on RTÉ Brainstorm which explores the history of hunger and starvation in 20th-century Ireland.

Warning: Some of the content is quite harrowing.

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0706/1308735-ireland-cost-of-living-crisis-1920s-1930s/

How Ireland suffered from a cost of living crisis 100 years ago Rising food prices, war, the Irish Revolution and the Great Depression triggered a major and devastating cost of living crisis

Delighted that our Epidemic Belfast project has teamed up with History Ireland magazine for a new semi-regular medical history feature.

In the first of these, find out more about 'tea mania' and asylums in 19th-Century Ireland.

How did nurses cope emotionally during the Troubles?

In our brand new episode, Megan Kelly (Open University) discusses the emotional toll of nursing during the conflict.

tinyurl.com/mwkykx8z

Nursing, Emotional Labour and the Troubles - Epidemic Belfast Megan Young, Associate Lecturer at Open University discusses the emotional labour of nursing during the Troubles.

In our brand new episode, Laura Newman (KCL) discusses using postal data to understand health in Northern Irish history.

Also, how did postmen such as William Orr deliver the post despite being visually impaired?

tinyurl.com/4ndncecr

In the 1970s, feminist activist Rona Fields argued that the Northern Irish were in psychological and emotional distress due to the Troubles.

Why was she not taken seriously at the time? Why was conflict-related trauma not fully recognised in Northern Ireland until the 1990s?

Find out more in our new post on trauma by Ian Miller, Ulster University.
tinyurl.com/2ujjuyjk

In our brand new podcast episode, Caitlin Smith, PhD researcher at Ulster University, explores the harrowing history of childbirth and midwifery in 20th-century Northern Ireland.

tinyurl.com/326thkrd

Midwifery and Childbirth in Twentieth-Century Belfast - Epidemic Belfast Caitlin Smith, PhD researcher at Ulster University, talks about historical experiences of midwifery and childbirth in 20th-Century Belfast