contagion on the page: an online exhibition

Thanks to the donations of John Floyer (1649-1734) and others, the College’s library is particularly strong in historical medical texts. Taking their cue from the ongoing pandemic, the library team have been spending some time with these collections as well as other holdings to create a short online exhibition, Contagion on the Page. Along with Floyer’s thoughts on cold-water bathing, the exhibition highlights other contributions from College members over time, including Sir Edmond Halley’s development of statistical science and mortality tables and Oliver Sacks’ work with victims of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic.

Image: Thomas Willis, A Plain and Easie Method for Preserving [ by God’s blessing ] those that are Well from the Infection of the Plague, or any Contagious Distemper in City, Camp, Fleet, &c. and for Curing such as are Infected with it (London, 1691). NN.s.2873.