Ep.21 - Head To Toe - Armpit

Physicians' Gallery

To sweat or not to sweat? Was sweating good or bad? Was it a treatment or a symptom? Was it something to be encouraged or prevented? The answer to all these questions is a resounding ‘Yes’. In this episode we explore the strange history of sweating sickness, what arsenic can do to your armpits and the creation of a market for underarm shaving. We also explore the history of deodorant – and its cynical marketing to women to improve their attractiveness and to men in the 1920s as a way to avoid unemployment and poverty. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with our latest podcasts, videos and events. Subscribe here: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/sign-our-heritage-newsletter Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage Instagram: instagram.com/physiciansgallery/ Facebook: facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@physiciansgallery Credits Researcher and presenter: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte. Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers. Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. Historical clip: Frank Rowntree compilation recordings. Part 4, Track 16. Wellcome Collection. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)