AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
History Extra podcast
Victoria's armpit and 'giant' bones: body parts that changed history
Dec 11, 2023
Dr. Suzie Edge explores the intriguing stories of body parts that have shaped history. She discusses preserved body parts throughout history, including Rasputin's supposed member and Galileo's middle finger. The podcast also delves into significant body parts like Charles Burney's bones and Napoleon's member, as well as Queen Victoria's armpit abscess and its impact on medical advancements. Other fascinating stories include Jenkins' severed ear symbolizing a conflict between nations and Henrietta Lax's unconsenting contribution to medical research. The podcast also discusses surprising stories like Louis XIV's abscess and how a surgeon named Felix created a new hole.
22:38
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Body parts have played a significant role in historical events, such as the War of Jenkins Ear and Queen Victoria's armpit abscess leading to medical advancements.
- The preservation and display of body parts raise ethical and controversial issues, such as the unauthorized use of Henrietta Lacks' cells and skepticism surrounding the authenticity of certain preserved body parts.
Deep dives
The Stories of Body Parts: From Dissection to Collection
One prominent theme discussed in the podcast episode is the significance of body parts in history. The guest, Dr. Susie Edge, discusses how her interest in body part stories began during her anatomical dissection classes. She shares that she has spent years collecting stories about body parts, and these stories have started to come together nicely. It is mentioned that some stories were collected from people sending them to her on TikTok. Dr. Edge also talks about the connection between body parts and power, consent, and what happens to people's bodies. The story of Alexis St Martin, a fur trader who survived being shot and had a hole in his stomach, is highlighted as one of the fascinating stories. These various stories shed light on the theme of consent and who gets to decide what happens to people's bodies.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode