Free medieval health checks were on offer for all who visited the Merchants House on 19th February 2011. Armed with his trusty medicine chest stocked full of the tools and potions of the trade, John Deighton, Chirurgeon and barber-surgeon of Gloster, revealed the gory realities of healthcare in the 15th and 16th centuries.
From trephining to blood-letting, powdered spiders to leeches, visitors were treated to a step by step account of some of the most commonly performed operations of the Tudor era, an age when mortality rates were high and anaesthetic was unheard of.
More than 70 people attended the event and were fascinated to discover that several of the prescribed treatments may have helped to shape the beliefs and practices common to modern medicine.
Lessons in uroscopy and amputation were both on the cards but (rather surprisingly) attracted few volunteers when it came to the demonstration!
With such a wealth of information on offer this event proved to be one appointment that nobody wanted to miss!
The Barber Surgeon will be returning to the Merchant’s House in October 2011 as part of our Halloween celebrations. For further information about this or any of our other events please visit our website : www.johnmooremuseum.org
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