Introduction
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Page | Introduction & Manifesto | Members
& Associates | Teaching | History
of Medicine Publications
History of Medical Ethics
Bibliography | Aberdeen Typhoid Project | Archival
Resources
The Diet Disease Death Group was formed in early 1996, and consisted initially of Bob Tyson, David Smith and William Naphy. The group has now recruited fourteen members who have an official connection with the department. Since January 1997, the group has begun to invite individuals outwith the department to become associate members. To date, six associate members have joined the group. Two informal seminar series have been held, at which members and associates have presented papers. The group is now planning a seminar series with external speakers, and has been discussing teaching the history of medicine, and joint research projects.
The staff with principal interests in this thematic area are, for the medieval and early modern periods, Dr William Naphy and Mr Robert Tyson, and for modern and contemporary times, Dr Richard Perren, Dr Oonagh Walsh and Dr David Smith. Together with Professor Hugh Pennington and Professor Elizabeth Russell in the Faculty of Medicine, Dr Smith has received a major grant of £80,000 from the Wellcome Trust to examine and chronicle Britain's last typhoid outbreak, which occurred in Aberdeen in 1964.
Manifesto
The core of the Diet, Disease, Death Groupis a group of historians at the Department of History of the University of Aberdeen whose research interests cover a range of topics broadly connected with the history of medicine. Details of the members and their interests may be found in the attached sheets. Convenor: Bob Tyson; Contact: David Smith 01224 273676; d.f.smith@abdn.ac.uk
The Diet, Disease, Death Group exists to support its members, by, for example
- encouraging active collaboration between members on research proposals and projects
- providing local contacts who are willing to 'brain-storm' about possible research project
- providing local contacts who are willing to provide advice and share experience regarding application for research grants from outside sources, by, for example, reading and commenting upon applications before they are submitted
- organising informal seminars at which members of the group may try out ideas and papers prior to presentations to other audiences
- providing local contacts who are willing to read and comment upon written papers prior to submission for publication
- organising seminar series with outside speakers on themes of interest to the group
- organising occasional conferences on themes of interest to the group, or at which research in progress might be presented
- maintaining a list of members and associates and their interests for the information of potential postgraduate students and others
- preparing and maintaining a list of resources available in the Aberdeen area for research in the history of medicine
- advertising the existence of the group, the interests of members, the resources available in Aberdeen, and the activities of the group, by electronics means and periodic mailings
- providing a network of people willing to support and advise in connection with the development of history of medicine teaching at the university
- recruiting interested outsiders as associate members of the group, who can help the group to achieve its aims, and who themselves would benefit from involvement
- provide pleasant social interchange and a supportive atmosphere for members and associates