• Between Life and Death: Frankenstein and Medical History
    Oct 30 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife - where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by Human Remains Conservator and Anatomist Cat Irving to explore the fascinating medical history that may have inspired Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. From anatomical discoveries to experiments with electricity, we uncover the scientific ideas and medical practices that may have influenced one of literature’s most iconic Gothic novels.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis, Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons' Hall Museum, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty.


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    32 mins
  • The Great Windmill Street Anatomy Theatre
    Sep 25 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife — where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by Human Remains Conservator and Anatomist Cat Irving to explore the fascinating and complex history of the Great Windmill Street Anatomy Theatre in London. Once a pioneering center for the study and teaching of anatomy, Great Windmill Street played an important role in shaping eighteenth-century medical education and our developing understanding of the human body.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    26 mins
  • South Asian Medical Women
    Aug 28 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode Dr Theeba Krishnamoorthy uncovers the remarkable stories of early South Asian women in medicine and their connections to Edinburgh. Inspired by a search for women from a similar background within the history of her own profession, she discovered a largely overlooked legacy of pioneering doctors whose lives crossed continents, cultures and barriers. This podcast brings their stories back into the history of medicine and asks why they have remained hidden for so long.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.



    Edited by John Kielty



    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    25 mins
  • Fragile Creatures- The Women Behind the Songs
    Jul 31 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by acclaimed singer-songwriter Hannah Rose Platt, whose haunting, cinematic storytelling blends music, theatre, and folklore to bring forgotten histories to life. We explore the remarkable women from medical history who inspired her concept album Fragile Creatures, uncovering the real stories behind the songs-from historical myths and medical misdiagnoses to the women whose experiences have too often been overlooked. Together, we discuss how history, medicine, and music can combine to challenge perceptions, honour untold lives, and inspire new conversations about women's healthcare.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.



    Edited by John Kielty


    For more information about Hannah Rose Platt

    https://orcd.co/fragilecreatures

    https://www.hannahroseplatt.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/hannahroseplattofficial

    https://www.facebook.com/hannahroseplattofficial


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    27 mins
  • Edinburgh: City of Medicine
    Jun 26 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by Malcolm MacCallum, Curator of the Anatomical Museum at the University of Edinburgh, and Thomas Elliott, Head of Surgeons Hall Museum, as they explore the origins of the world's oldest medical school in the English-speaking world. Inspired by our latest exhibition, this episode uncovers the innovations behind Edinburgh’s medical success, the growth of its anatomical collections, and how the human cost of that progress is being reassessed today.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museum, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty


    Music Credit: Zap Splat


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    49 mins
  • A History of Gonorrhoea
    May 29 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife -where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by anatomist and human remains conservator Cat Irving as she explores the long and often bizarre history of gonorrhoea, from early diagnoses and eye-watering treatments to the strange phenomenon of “smurf syndrome.” Discover the medical misconceptions, curious cures, and social attitudes surrounding one of history’s most infamous diseases.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty


    Music Credit: Zap Splat


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    22 mins
  • Incorporating The Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh
    Apr 24 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife - where history and medicine collide. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Aaron Allen as he explores the early incorporation of Incorporation of Barber Surgeons in Edinburgh. From royal charters to the rise of organised craft, discover how barber surgeons carved out their place in the city’s powerful guild system. It’s a story of skill, status, and the foundations of a profession that would shape the future of surgery.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty


    Music Credit: Zap Splat


    For more information about Surgeons Hall Museums and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library and Archives please see our websites

    Home - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh

    Home | Library & Archive The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    48 mins
  • General Paralysis of the Insane
    Mar 27 2026

    Welcome to Beyond the Knife– where history and medicine collide.


    In this episode, we’re joined by author and Neuropsychologist Andy Ellis.


    Andy explores General Paralysis of the Insane, a devastating neurological condition that once baffled the medical world. Through the case of Sir Randolph Churchill, he examines not only its impact on the brain and behavior, but also the social conditions and attitudes that shaped how the disease was understood and treated.


    This episode is hosted by Chanté St Clair Inglis Director of Heritage and Estates at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.


    Produced by Jordanna Kielty-O'Neill and Keshena Goldie for Surgeons Hall Museums, Library and Archives.


    Edited by John Kielty


    Music Credit: Zap Splat

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    43 mins