Old Operating Theatre!

This is so far a highlight of the trip. 

Mick Hattaway, the semi-emeritus professor/ Shakespeare scholar/ expat New Zealander who is our "mentor" on the program (which means he organizes our weekly presentations and regular meetings and other events) had the great idea of bringing us to this unique and off-the-beaten-path spot. 

The operating theatre was part of a women's hospital for the poor, and was probably built in 1822. It's in the garret of a church and was totally forgotten about until a few years ago when someone writing a history of medicine Ph.D. thesis guessed that it might be hidden behind a wall, after seeing a lot of references to surgeons' comings and goings there. It was found, pretty much intact, and is now a little museum.

It was very cool to see because I actually learned a lot about this period of medicine - the 19th century - because of the History of Pain book that I translated last summer. No anesthesia and no antiseptics would not be a great time to have surgery! We got a great interactive talk from the very knowledgeable guide. Roommate Katie volunteered to be the imaginary patient - but the tools are real! The guide is explaining one of the most common operations, an amputation following a horse and carriage accident, where Katie's leg got run over by a carriage wheel. No anesthesia, so there would've been about 5 people holding her down while her bone got sawed through. Katie's faces in some of these are priceless.

Outside the theatre itself there is a very cool collection of medicinal herbs (the garret was also used to dry herbs to make medicine) and surgical tools.