York Medical Society

12/09/2025

York Medical Society rooms are transformed into a funeral parlour for the brilliant performance of Fun Home by Pick Me Up Theatre. A very talented cast, a show worth seeing - it's on for another week

10/09/2025

Tickets selling well so don't delay, but yous today

12/08/2025

The. Georgian Festival was a great success at York Medical Society rooms last weekend. We raised £800 for the Three Bears Foundation - supporting those with pancreatic cancer - and had lots of fun too

01/08/2025

✨Welcome back to ‘Object of the Week’ with the York Medical Society after our summer break!

💡Another interesting item we have discovered in the York Medical Society cabinets is this copy of Baillière’s Atlas of Female Anatomy, revised by Katherine F. Armstrong, illustrated by Douglas J. Kid, and published by Baillière, Tindall & Cassell.

❓This atlas raises many questions about perceptions of the body at this time. Why call it an ‘Atlas’ - what are the connotations of mapping and laying claim to the (female) body? What are the similarities and differences between mapping bodies and mapping land? How much flexibility do “anatomically accurate” sources of information provide for unique bodies?

🩷Furthermore, the editorial choice to feature the statue of the Venus de Milo on the front cover of the book also creates questionable connotations. Considered as the prime example of idealised beauty standards of the human form, not only does the statue allude to the expectations placed on women’s bodies, but further calls into question the perceptions of all different body types at this time.

🗣️If you don’t already, remember to follow this account to see updates on the other interesting material we find at the York Medical Society, and share around to others who would also like to take a peek through our cabinets! 👍

30/06/2025

It's official! Our new president Professor Paul Blenkiron helps put up his new Board on the Lecture Hall wall

17/06/2025

A wonderful evening at York Medical Society last Friday. Dr Alison Barrington gave an excellent and enlightening talk on Music As Medicine.
Noteworthy Quartet entertained us with some barbershop harmonies in the garden. Thanks to all the members who joined us

30/05/2025

Looking forward to welcoming Jack Davenport to York Medical Society, where our rooms have been transformed for the filming of Blueberry Inn

12/05/2025

✨Welcome to the York Medical Society’s first ‘Object of the Week’ post! We have recently started cataloguing our extensive historical medical instruments collection and have, of course, come across some brilliant pieces of equipment we think more people should see. 🔍As we work to uncover more treasures over the coming months, keep your eyes peeled for fun facts, historical discussions, and hopefully a few questions to think about along the way! We think we’ve started off strong with this one…

🟣More commonly known as a ‘Violet Ray Kit’, this Ultraviolet Radiation Generator is one example of an at home medical treatment popular in the first half of the 20th century.

The set would be used to apply high frequency electrical sparks ⚡️ to the body using the glass vacuum electrodes which can be seen in the lid of the case. These electrical sparks were believed to treat a variety of maladies. They claimed to relieve aches and pains in your muscles, internal organs, or nerves by massaging the skin. 💆‍♀️

🥼As the kits developed and became more popular, a wide variety of these electrodes were developed to be used all over the body.

For example, the comb-shaped electrode 🪮 at the bottom was used to massage the head and scalp in the hope of treating a range of problems from hair loss to dandruff, and even claimed to turn grey hairs back to their natural colour - have a look at the instruction guide it came with! 📖

✋Electrodes were also manufactured for use on the face, shoulders, hands, throat (both externally and internally!), teeth, and even some places you’d rather not think about…

The popularity of the violet ray machine for the public grew once the machines could be made small and portable, like this one, as they could be plugged into a wall socket at home. 🏠

Despite this level of public popularity, the machines didn’t fare as well in the medical establishment. 🏥 In America, manufacturers of violet ray kits were subjected to multiple lawsuits 👨‍⚖️ throughout the 1940s and ‘50s from medical practitioners and even the US Government itself for misleading advertising. 🏷️

Our violet ray kit therefore can inspire discussions about medical efficacy, at home treatments, and the development of medicine into what we see today. 🌎 It also raises questions about the history of treatments we use today, and the ways in which medicine may still develop into our futures. 🧬

Remember to like 👍 and share this post so more people can find out about these interesting objects and pop back in the next couple of weeks to see what else we’re finding in the Society’s varied collection! 📚

06/04/2025

Spring is springing in YMS gardens. All members have access.

01/04/2025

Last chance for members to book for this event. We look forward to seeing you on Friday.

Cycle Magic by Jim McGurn Jim McGurn is a highly respected figure in the cycling world, known for his work promoting cycling culture. His books, including On Your Bicycle: An […]

20/03/2025

Another great talk coming up very soon for York Medical Society members. Interested in joining us for one of our talks and not a member? Please visit our website to find out how to join us

‘In the footsteps of John Phillips – the geology of Yorkshire’ – A talk by Colin Speakman and Bill Frazer An Evening of Geological Discovery: Colin Speakman & Bill Frazer […]

15/03/2025

Congratulations to all our fantastic Founders Prize winners. Well done to Sonya Bushell for winning the prize for a thought provoking study on the use of the Respect Form while still well.