Erotomania

A podcast series exploring objects from the history of medicine.

The podcast is available on Spotify, iTunes, Podbean and Soundcloud.

We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery. This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – a 1600s book called Erotomania, which explores the addictive nature of unrequited love. According to this book, symptoms of love addiction included a swollen face, sighing and constant tears. Thankfully, there were treatments at hand. These included eating lettuce and pears, and avoiding ‘hot, provocative, flatulent and melancholy meats'.   

The Team:
Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with the Physicians' Gallery since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte. She is interested in the history of mental health and loves to explore new creative methods to share history.
Sarah E Hayward earned her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies, with a focus on the history of learning disability, from Kingston University London in 2023. She now works in the Archive Service at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) in Putney.
Sarah has been a dedicated volunteer with the Physicians' Gallery since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and loves to explore creative ways to share the hidden stories she uncovers.
Charlotte Holmes received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the Physicians' Gallery since 2019. Her main interest is in Scottish medical history but she has recently been researching the disabled experience in early modern Scotland.
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