History of Medicine in a COVID World
Links to resources that relate aspects of the history of medicine to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A brief history of quarantine, and what it can teach us about social distancing today
Lessons from the history of quarantine, from plague to influenza A.
Histories of epidemics in the time of COVID‐19
a special issue of the journal of the European Society for the History of Science with 15 on-line papers on topics ranging from plague in early modern Italy, bills of Mortality in London, and epidemics in China and Latin America
Centaurus Vol 62 Issue 2 (July 2020)
A face mask controversy over a century ago
Did you know… there was an anti-mask league in 1918?
This blog contains a short video.
Thackray Museum of Medicine 2020
From Black Death to fatal flu, past pandemics show why people on the margins suffer most
A historical analysis of previous epidemics (plague, smallpox and influenza) in terms of the mortality of people at the social margins. This has relevance to public health data from the current Covid-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Teaching Resources and Materials for Historical Research
A set of readings compiled in collaboration with the American Association for the History of Medicine and participants in the webinar, “Pandemic, Creating a Usable Past.”
American Association for the History of Medicine 2020
Epidemics in Western Society since 1660
Frank Snowden
A free on line course with an international analysis of the impact of epidemic diseases on western society and culture from the bubonic plague to HIV/AIDS and the recent experience of SARS and swine flu. (26 lectures)
Yale University (2010)
A Brief History of Pandemics
Arpan K Banerjee
In this short paper the author describes a brief history of pandemics, from an outbreak of plague in Ancient Greece to the present-day worldwide spread of Covid-19.
History Uncut OUP (May 2020)
How to Control a Pandemic (illustrated lecture)
Professor Chris Whitty
Chris Whitty reviews the history of pandemics since Tudor times.The lecture was given a year before the arrival of Covid-19. It contains some interesting comments about the hazards to health care workers.
Gresham College lecture (October 2018)
Going Viral (podcasts)
A series of podcasts presented by Mark Honigsbaum . The earlier editions produced before the covid pandemic are remarkably prescient and feature some interesting interviews. The later editions bring things right up to date.
Coronavirus: How they tried to curb Spanish flu pandemic in 1918
An interesting comparison of the management of the 1918 flu with that of the current epidemic. This blog also includes some unusual photos.
BBC News May 9th 2020
The Dangerous History of Immunoprivilege
by Kathryn Olivarius
The author discusses how acquired immunity (for yellow fever) was used as a mark of privilege and a mechanism of exploitation in the USA in the 19C.
The New York Times, April 12 2020
How photography has shaped our experience of pandemics
Apollo Magazine
Coping with chronic conditions during coronavirus: A historical perspective (blog)
Amie Bolissian-Mcrae
Not everyone can afford to be anxious about Coronavirus – some are more concerned about managing their long-term ailments. Amie Bolissian-Mcrae provides a historical perspective on this tendency.
Centre for Health Humanities , University of Reading
“A very unjust affront” (blog)
Katie Birkwood
Using letters from the archives Katie Birkwood reflects on William Harvey’s discomfort at being subject to quarantine in northern Italy in 1636.
Royal College of Physicians
Working through a viral epidemic: the experience of Claire McCarthy with polio in 1955 (video)
In this new oral history video interview, Claire McCarthy, retired Director of Physical Therapy at Boston Children’s Hospital shares her experiences and insight as a healthcare worker during the 1955 polio epidemic and how it compares with the current pandemic.
Boston Children’s Hospital Archives
The Coronavirus is not the Black Death
Ken Mondschein
The author examines and debunks many of the analogies between Covid 19 and the Black Death
medievalists.net
How Bubonic Plague Has Helped Russia Fight the Coronavirus
Andrew E Kramer
A network of health centres formed by the Soviet Union in the 1920s is providing expertise in quarantines and epidemic response for Covid-19.
New York Times
What can History tell us about Epidemics?
Can we learn from history about how diseases spread, and how we respond to them?
History Today
Coronavirus: Does my grandfather’s 1940 infectious disease advice still hold true?
Frank Gardner reflects on his grandfather’s recommendations for a sick room at home.
BBC News
The outbreak that invented intensive care
A heroic community effort at a daring hospital saved lives, led to today’s ventilators and revolutionized medicine — it holds lessons for our times.
Nature
Epidemic control in Chinese public health: past and present
Mary Brazelton,
History and Policy
Patient zero: why it’s such a toxic term
Richard McKay
Cambridge University
Ocado for all – lessons from Second World War transport logistics
Mark Roodhouse | Published
As supermarkets battle with shortages and vulnerable customers suffer, there are lessons we can learn from co-operation between companies and local and national government, says Mark Roodhouse
History and Policy
Epidemics and ‘essential work’ in early modern Europe
Kevin Siena | Published
Kevin Siena explores the redefinition of ‘essential work’ and notes that this is not the first time the economically disadvantaged have been pushed into the front line of disease
History and Policy
Blitz spirit won’t help ‘Win the Fight’ against Covid-19
Henry Irving | Published
The myth of the Blitz spirit could be actively dangerous, says Henry Irving – we need to define a Coronavirus spirit of our own, where engaged citizenship encourages social distancing
History and Policy
Quarantine – an early modern approach
Jane Stevens Crawshaw | Published
Jane Stevens Crawshaw on early modern Italy’s experiences with quarantine – originating in Venice as a response to plague
History and Policy
Epidemic control in Chinese public health: past and present
Mary Augusta Brazelton | Published
Mary Augusta Brazelton relates the history of a public health approach that has incorporated coercion, persuasion, education – and most recently, “medical diplomacy”
History and Policy
History in a crisis: lessons for COVID-19
David S. Jones
New England Journal of Medicine
COVID-19 and the anti-lessons of history
Robert Peckham
The Lancet