Wartime Medicine and Innovation

Wartime Medicine and Innovation

A young participant demonstrates wartime medical techniques to a young visitor
One of the young participants demonstrates wartime medical techniques to a young visitor

Young Roots

Whitechapel
Tower Hamlets
Centre of the Cell
£31100
"By the end I did not need to rely on a script – I could present confidently in front of the public. I felt so much more confident in improvising when things didn’t go to plan."
Project team member
Young people investigated the medical developments from the First World War and the impact they have on their lives today.

A group of young people aged 14 to 18 decided to explore First World War medical developments by creating a trail, animation and workshop programme. The team were members of Centre of the Cell, a science education centre in Whitechapel, London. The project trained members of the group in medical and collections research, volunteer management, presentation skills and events management.

One group developed a walking trail based on key locations, people and medical innovations in the Whitechapel area. They carried out field studies and research with the Royal London Hospital Museum and Science Museum.

One group researched medical history and created a family workshop called ‘War in the Wards’. They used costume and props to tell the stories of wartime medicine.

Inspired by visits to local museums, four members of the group developed a series of animations on the theme of First World War medicine.

Finally, the project team worked with Tilli Tansey OBE, Professor of the History of Modern Medical Science at Queen Mary University of London, to help create a lecture for local teenagers.