Life Changing: Edinburgh’s Medical History

Join me to discover ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ of Edinburgh’s medical past in ‘Auld Reekie’.

You will learn about the horrendous living conditions in ‘Auld Reekie’ where disease and death spread rapidly, the founding of the medical school at Edinburgh University, the increasing need for bodies for anatomy lessons and how such need was met, the contributions of outstanding Edinburgh doctors and surgeons, like Dr James Young Simpson, Lord Lister and Dr Joseph Bell, to the world of medicine, pioneers for women in medicine and the life of Duncan Napier, the most famous herbalist in Scotland.

We shall visit:

• the Witches Fountain
• the Grassmarket
• Greyfriars Churchyard
• Edinburgh University
• The old medical school
• Napier’s  famous shop
• Infirmary Street and the old Surgeon’s Hall
• The Royal College of Surgeons

At Napier’s you will have the unique opportunity to sample Napier’s Skullcap Oat and Passionflower Compound and to enjoy a 10% discount on any purchases in this wonderful shop. Staff will explain the significance and history of the compound.

 We end our tour at the Royal College of Surgeons. The museum is well worth a visit – ‘Top of the Ops’, a visual treasure trove of medical wonders about surgery and dentistry with plenty of interactive displays.

Alternatively, you may wish an exciting one-hour challenge at the end!

After you book the Life Changing tour, I shall email you a 20% off discount code for:

The Anatomist – historical escape room. Murder, mystery and malpractice in 19^th century Edinburgh. Can you escape?

Please book in advance to avoid disappointment for 2 – 7 people (ages 12+), excluding Saturdays.

The code is entered at the check-out stage at www.escapethepast.co.uk/book.