The wonder of putting finger to keyboard … i.e. to connect brain to producing something fanciful, or perhaps even informative …
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| Achievement of Arms of the Worshipful Company of Barber-Surgeons; Gouache on Cloth. (possibly early in 1300AD) |
This brain does work … but rather more often than not it wanders off … I have so much to write up about – note to self: settle down and get on with them …
Recently I heard a talk from a retired doctor about the work he has been doing out in poverty ridden communities in various places around the world … this particular one was on Ethiopia … working with a team of eye surgeons.
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| Master John Banister - Anatomical Tables with figures: c 1580AD |
He's worked in in Canada, in, what I term Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa … where there are war-torn communities - refugee camps etc …
He was fascinating … so more to follow – but he's giving a talk to the Worshipful Company of Barbers on his work … which got me thinking about haircuts … I've just had one!
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| F A Maulbertschs 'The Quack' 1785 |
… Barbers, in the 1300s, originally aided monks, who, at the time, were the medical men, because Papal decrees prohibited members of religious orders from spilling blood.
Interesting … barbers in addition to hair cutting, hairdressing, and shaving … performed surgery: neck manipulation; cleansing of ears and scalp; draining/lancing of boils, fistulae, and cysts with wicks; bloodletting and leeching, fire cupping; enemas; and the extraction of teeth.
Crumbs – am I not glad I live in today's age!
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| Royal College of Surgeons - Court of Examiners (1894) by Henry Jamyn Brooks |
The Worshipful Company of Barbers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, and ranks 17th in precedence.
However if we row back in the mind to Roman times c/o Websters Dictionary of Phrase and Fable … the barber's shop has been a centre for the dissemination of scandal, and the talk of the town … I guess no snares appearing in this blogosphere …
Thankfully over time the Royal College of Surgeons promoted and advanced standards of surgical care for patients – both in surgery and dentistry … being established in 1800 …
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| 1st century wall painting from Pompeii (a family banquet) |
While the Barbers Company now principally acts as a charitable institution for medical and surgical causes …
Well that's good my fingers haven't been cut off … and I can apparently still type – thank goodness for modern inventions … such as computers with their keyboards … I won't add instruments of surgical torment … just a few 'pretty' pictures …
Thanks for waiting for me … WEP's Thriller this week is a-coming …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
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21 comments:
Thanks for the interesting information.
Hari OM
I guess they were general practitioners before specialisation became a thing! Everything has to start somewhere. Fun and informative post as always, Hilary! YAM xx
Ships' surgeons were usually barbers. One of my forebears was one, in Nelson's fleet. Hence the striped poles outside barber shops inland. Blood and bandages. Ew.
Wow, your blog always pours out new and interesting topics :D Thanks for sharing this, Hilary!
I do love the rabbit holes you emerge from - and entice us down. Thank you. Muchly.
The Royal College of Surgeons painting is special. The men look serious, dedicated and learned, not scandalous like the barbers must have been.
If there are odd stories to be found - and expounded on - we can leave it to you, Hilary. You have a bloodhound's nose for the rare, the unusual and the bizarre - which is why we are drawn to your blog of course. A barber as a surgeon? Hmm. When I was young the barber I went to couldn't cut hair straight, so the thought of him carving up my body gives me pause. Think I'll stick to the guy at the local hospital with the sheepskins on the wall! Hugs - David
Well, that gives a whole new spin on being a barber. A spin I wouldn't want to take!!
@ Kathy – glad you enjoyed the post ...
@ Yam – yes … spending time learning as best they could, each in their own era … I love gaining an insight into how 'things' came about …
@ Boud – how fascinating to find out you have a ship's surgeon/barber as one of your forebears – especially being in Nelson's fleet. Yes I knew about the red and blue poles – still in use today. Blood and gore – I could do without … but not so easily in those days …
@ Damyanti – always happy to share some useful and useless information! Good educative ideas – I say! Great to see you …
@ EC – thanks so much … there are far too many rabbit holes to go down and I'm always down them …
@ Hels – oh I see I forgot to state the artist's name … now rectified (Henry Jamyn Brooks) … it was painted only 130 years ago … so I guess they were well informed … and weren't roaming the streets with their razors!
But I thought it was an interesting art work – based on the Court of Examiners … exams bring out serious sides (usually) …
@ David – thank you … it's learning for me … having been triggered by something that intrigued me to find out more …
Our professional or trade disciplines have over the centuries become separated out into specific areas of expertise – makes sense to us thankfully.
As it's coming up to Halloween – I think we could contrive some ghastly thoughts … I'm glad your barber left you intact!! However your thought about the film 'Silence of the Lambs' is one I have still not seen … the idea appals me!
@ Rosey – it's where those barbering cut-throats all started – not good today is it?!
Cheers to you all – thanks for visiting and commenting … love reading them – cheers Hilary
Hilary, how I love this post. It's just so very English and I mean that in a good way, of course, you know that.
I did know barbers used to do surgery, but I didn't know it was because they were assisting monks. Such a strange pairing.
So very thankful for today's modern medical care! Such an interesting post, Hilary, as yours always are. Thanks for the great read!
Yet another very interesting and informative blog, well done Hilary. Likewise, I am glad I did not live in those days.
I have a haircut booked for tomorrow morning, luckily she is very modern. It is 3 weeks late as I had to cancel the normal appointment because of COVID and I will be happy to see it much shorter!
Take care and have a good week, cheers Diane
Funny how a haircut (doesn't that always feel fresh...like a weight off the shoulders) leads to quite a blog post. You do read a LOT - it's just more variety than I do with just one book. You are everywhere as you seek info. Very fun and informative.
Barbers were very versatile and certainly needed in their communities.
Have a great one, Hils.
Well, that explains a lot about why barbers in the American Old West were also likely to stitch up cuts and remove bullets.
Fascinating post! I had no idea that barbers were so multi-talented in medieval times. The well-travelled doctor sounds interesting as well. Looking forward to reading more about him.
Now some surgeons are considered barbers......
YOU take special care.
@ Inger – yes .. you're so right – it is our English history – can't get away from history and the many who help overseas in various ways … these being medical.
@ Liz – well it was in the 1200 – 1300s … so long long ago when things were very different.
@ Elizabeth – yes I am so glad for today's professionalism and modern medical care. Am happy you enjoyed the post and info …
@ Diane – great to see you … I just enjoyed finding out about how Barbers and Surgeons became different professions … I have very little hair – must be an alopecia gene I think … but I do feel better when it's cut and tidied up. I'm sure you feel better now – less weight around the topknot! I'm glad you're over the Covid – such a nuisance …
@ Joanne – I know … my mind and its hairy rabbit holes! I do cast about looking at an awful lot … trouble is the brain can't remember exactly what, where and when! Sometimes I revert to looking things up on the blog …
@ Sandra x your two comments – thank you … barbers I think must now be very versatile with the way men want their beards trimmed, their heads shaved in 'odd ways' – me: showing my age! Sometimes there are rogue surgeons and I'm sure barbers …
@ Jacqui – yes – people had to be jack of all trades … using appropriately whatever skills they possessed .
@ Debbie – so pleased you enjoyed the learning … there's so much history – thinking how we got to where we are now …
Thanks so much for visiting and being interested in how we learnt, and how this life we live in slowly came to be … cheers Hilary
Hi Hilaary,
very interesting, could do with further research and fleshing out. Nothing to do with any of what that, but there are the musical Barber Shop Quartets.
Could you please tell me how to get into the WEP/IWSG prompts.
Hi Friko - sorry - you're right, but this was only an overview introducing the doctor who came to give us a talk on cataract surgery out in Ethiopia and other very poor places ... to raise funds for his charity. I can't flesh out the posts too much ... as it's not my style or my blog's style ... I hope you understand?!
I've emailed you too - cheers Hilary
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