Sick to Death: A History of Medicine in 10 Objects

The story of medicine is often told through great names and famous dates, but what if we listened to the objects instead? Sick to Death: A History of Medicine in 10 Objects, from Big Heritage, does exactly that. Each episode focuses on a single, tangible artifact from the collections of a new medical museum in historic Chester, using it as a portal to a different era of healing, sickness, and understanding. We’ll examine not just what these items are, but the human stories they hold-the hopes, fears, and often gruesome realities of medicine from ancient times to the modern day. This isn't a dry lecture; it's an exploration of how a surgeon’s saw, a delicate glass vial, or a worn leather doctor’s bag can reveal profound truths about society, suffering, and our relentless pursuit of health. You’ll hear how everyday tools and extraordinary inventions shaped the world we live in, making the vast history of medicine intimately accessible. Tune in for a deeply human perspective on science, where each object serves as a starting point for a larger conversation about life, death, and everything in between. This podcast connects the physical to the philosophical, offering a unique and grounded way to engage with history.