As we continue to navigate a modern-day pandemic together, On Call Thoughts brings you a new series on the history of medicine, led by an expert in the the field and beloved lecturer in the Ottawa medical community, Dr. Susan Lamb. In this series, we hope to bring to life an accurate representation of various monumental events in the history of medicine and reflect on their lasting impact on our profession and society. In this first episode, we recount the events of the most devastating pandemic in human history and learn from the medical practices and social constructs that grew out of this tragic period of time.

Resources:

Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present (Frank M. Snowden)

Science & Islam (Full) | by Jim Al-Khalili | BBC Documentary (EN)

BBC Documentary THE BLACK DEATH

Howard Markel’s Quarantine!: East European Jewish Immigrants and the New York City Epidemics of 1892

From Plague Doctor to PPE: A Brief History of Pandemic Protection Gear