Epidemic Belfast
Epidemic Belfast
Ulster University
Epidemic Belfast raises difficult and challenging questions about Northern Ireland's medical history, from the 19th century to COVID. In each episode, experts examine themes including the health of Belfast's mill workers, asylums, Victorian anti-vaxxers, 'cures' and shock therapies for homosexuality, the thalidomide tragedy, lobotomies, prison doctors during the Troubles and the AIDS crisis.
Preparing for Gas Attacks in Second World War Belfast
An Interview with Dr James O’Neill, Curator at Northern Ireland War Memorial
Jan 8, 2024
25 min
Health, Medical Care and the Victorian Workhouse
Robyn Atcheson, who lectures at Queen’s University Belfast, discusses health and medical conditions in Belfast’s workhouse system.
Nov 10, 2022
29 sec
Nursing, Emotional Labour and the Troubles
Megan Kelly, Associate Lecturer at Open University discusses the emotional labour of nursing during the Troubles.
Jul 4, 2022
30 sec
Health and the Postal Service
Laura Newman (KCL) discusses using post office data to understand health in Northern Irish history and William Orr, a Ballymoney postman who managed to deliver his post despite his blindness.
Jun 22, 2022
24 sec
Midwifery and Childbirth in Twentieth-Century Belfast
Caitlin Smith, PhD researcher at Ulster University, talks about historical experiences of midwifery and childbirth in 20th-Century Belfast.
Jun 6, 2022
15 sec
Experiencing Diabetes in 20th-Century Northern Ireland
Lauren Young, PhD researcher at QUB, and former UU History Master’s student, explores patient experiences of diabetes in 20th-century Northern Ireland.
May 19, 2022
29 sec
‘Curing’ Homosexuality in Late 20th Century Belfast
Richard O’Leary, Visiting Scholar at Queens University Belfast and Rebecca Watterson (PhD candidate, Ulster University) talks to Ian Miller (Ulster University) about attempts to ‘cure’ homosexuality in Belfast and Northern Ireland in the late 20th Century. (With voiceover provided by Ross Lindsay).
Nov 7, 2021
33 min
COVID in Northern Ireland, 2020-21
Professor Louise Dubras, GP and Foundation Dean of the School of Medicine at Ulster University, reflects on her experience as a doctor during the recent COVID pandemic.
Nov 4, 2021
24 min
Living with HIV in Belfast
Rebecca Brown, MA student at Ulster University and Eugenie Scott, PhD candidate at Ulster University discuss the AIDS crisis and interview Greg Owen about his experience as a gay man living with HIV in Belfast.
Nov 4, 2021
24 min
Prison Doctors and the Troubles
Eugenie Scott, PhD researcher at Ulster University, interviews Séanna Walsh, a former Republican prisoner, who discusses his negative experience of prison medical services during the Troubles.
Nov 4, 2021
22 min
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