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The Old Operating Theatre

Museum & Herb Garret

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anaesthesia

The Invention of Rubber Gloves: A True Love Story!

The Invention of Rubber Gloves: A True Love Story!

In 2006 Professor Harold Ellis, CBE Mch FRCS, during an interview at the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret shared this little love story connected to the invention of the rubber gloves. What comes next is a transcription of

oldoptheatre August 1, 2019February 13, 2021 Cabinet of Curiosities Read more

Review: Quacks and Anaesthesia

Set in a time of change for medicine, Quacks also embraces the introduction of pain relief. Quacks is treating anaesthesia for effect, but there are also kernels of historic truth in this comedy. Firstly, their ether and chloroform is applied

oldoptheatre August 1, 2019July 4, 2020 Cabinet of Curiosities Read more

Ether, Anaesthesia and the Old Operating Theatre

In August 2008, as part of the building works at the museum, samples of sawdust from under the operating theatre were taken by conservator Jonna Holt. Apart from other things, she found ether residue in the area of the head

oldoptheatre August 1, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

Chloroform – Fear, Crime and (Pain) Relief

The fear of the effects of chloroform goes back to the earliest days of its use in the late 1840s. This fear manifested itself in many ways. First, there was the surgeon who feared that the chloroforming would not be

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

The Truth and Pearl Harbor – Sodium Thiopental

A couple of weeks ago, whilst looking through stores and collections at the museum, the Curatorial Team came across an interesting box inscribed with the name “Sodium Thiopenal”. Knowing about my interest in all things anaesthetic, they asked me to

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist, Part 7: Chloroform, Death and Explanations

John Snow’s credentials as the first English Anaesthetist have long been established. It was described in a previous blog, how his clinical evaluation and experiments helped establish an understanding of the safe use of ether and chloroform. The use of

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist, Part 6: John Snow and the Pump Handle

Cholera had originally come from the East, transported by ship around the world. The first notes in a British Medical Journal come from a doctor in India in the year 1817. From then on the spreading of the disease could

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist, Part 5: Anaesthetist to Queen Victoria

In the 1850s, with John Snow’s contributions to the science behind Anaesthesia, his fame in the London medical circle was growing. He had become a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, the penultimate stage of recognition at the time.

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist. Part 4: 1847, Ether and Chloroform

Medical life in London, especially for General Practitioners, was tough in the middle of the 19th century. The oversupply of GPs meant that income was low and competition tight. Snow had forged his medical career in this environment after passing his

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist. Part 3: A medical living and the arrival of ether

John Snow took his medical qualifications in 1838 and started to look into ways of setting out in his chosen career. The first choice was staying at Westminster Hospital, where he had been walking the wards as a student. Just

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist. Part 2: Medical School Days

There were 21 medical schools in London offering training for dual qualification. This meant that they fulfilled the requirements of both the ‘college’ and ‘hall’ as they were known, or Royal College of Surgeons and Apothecaries’ Hall. Both exams qualified

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist. Part 1: Beginnings and the Way to London

John Snow, the First English Anaesthetist. Part 1: Beginnings and the Way to London

The life of John Snow was the subject of the 2016 Ether Day talk at the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret. But who was the man now best remembered for the Broad Street pump handle and Cholera and

oldoptheatre July 25, 2019July 4, 2020 Museum Highlights Read more

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Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret
9a St Thomas Street,
London, SE1 9RY
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Registered Charity Number 1155078 (Lord Brock Trust)

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Museum Closed

The Museum is currently closed due to the most recent Government Guidelines. Follow our Covid-19 updates here.

Access details can be found here.

Access is limited as the Museum is in the attic space of a 320 year old church. The entrance is via a 52-step narrow spiral staircase.

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In 2020 we had to make changes to our ticketing due to Covid-19 safety guidelines. See our FAQs for 2020 for further details.

Ahead of reopening in 2021 we will be reviewing our Admission Prices.

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