All posts by Barbara Roberts

Fold-out colour plate from 'La Fièvre Jaune' depicting a section of a kidney, French caption underneath reads 'Coupe de Rein, d'aprés une préparation biologique de Mr. E. C. Prévost

Yellow Fever (Historical Collection)

Yellow fever, a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, was “one of the most dangerous infectious diseases of the 18th and 19th centuries, resulting in mass casualties in Africa and the Americas,” according to one recent article. For years up to the nineteenth century, debate raged over how the disease…

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Graphic showing a tap dripping water, the globe, and a drop of water.

Book Display: World Water Day

Later this week is World Water Day (22 March), first designated in 1993 by the United Nations to improve awareness around water issues. This year, organisers are drawing particular attention to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of water and sanitation for all by 2030, which we are currently off-track…

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Demography & Data (Historical Collection)

Today’s books from the LSHTM Historical Collection consist of some early attempts at gathering statistics on disease and society. Lots of the Collection significantly predates the foundation of LSHTM, which includes these volumes. Instead, the Library acquired them during the School’s early history, often through donations and bequests…

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A photograph of pages from 'Two monographs on malaria and the parasites of malarial fevers' including colour plate illustrations of blood samples.

Malaria & Microscopes (Historical Collection)

As shown in the recent report on LSHTM’s colonial history, the financial burden of malaria on the British colonial project was one of the driving forces behind the LSTM’s foundation. It’s therefore unsurprising to find that many books on malaria are in the Historical Collection. Many…

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A reproduced doctor's advertisement, headline reading "Men, Come to Us and avoid dangerous or uncertain treatment."

Pamphlet Collection: Defeating The Nostrum Evil

It’s often very peaceful up in the gallery of the main Reading Room. There isn’t any space for desks, just a narrow walkway allowing you to browse the shelves. That means you can pass by a lot of shelving on your way to find a volume, giving ample…

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Photograph of Dry January book display consisting of eight books, with bust of Sir Richard Doll on the right.

Book Display: Dry January

Dry January is a campaign run by Alcohol Change UK during which participants abstain from drinking alcohol for January. Alcohol Change UK is a British charity that works towards reducing harms caused by alcohol consumption. Since it started in 2012, Dry January has grown fast. It has been widely covered…

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The cover of Miss Fluffy Rice depicts, in black, white, and red, a spoon with a human face and rice for hair wearing an apron and throwing more rice on to a bride and groom, who have their backs turned to her.

Pamphlet Collection: Retro Recipes

The Library’s Pamphlet Collection, housed in the gallery of the main Reading Room, comprises government reports, research papers, leaflets and circulars, and instructional manuals, to name but a few. A more surprising element of the collection is the twentieth-century pamphlets containing recipes. The shelf marks relating to Nutrition…

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Black and white block print showing three Stuart buildings with smoking chimneys and figures in the street beside.

Pamphlet Collection: Fumifugium, by John Evelyn

While working on the book display about London the other month, I came across a fairly curious-looking bound volume in the Pamphlet Collection. So, today’s trip into the pamphlet collection will investigate it a bit! Fumifugium, written by John Evelyn and first published in 1661, is now considered…

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A photograph of the Library book display, showing thirteen brightly coloured books on a cabinet surrounding a metal bust of Sir Richard Doll.

London Book Display

As we continue to welcome new and returning students to LSHTM, we have put together a selection of books from our collection about the city of London. From bubonic plague to air pollution, the works collected cover many of the challenges of living in this city over the centuries. Whether…

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