Lecture Series "In the Footsteps of Time": The Book "From Sauna to Syringe. A Century of Stories of Estonians' Health"

On January 23 at 17:30, the Estonian Health Museum's researcher-curator Anna Rinaldo will visit the Pärnu Museum to introduce her book "From Sauna to Syringe. A Century of Stories of Estonians' Health" which was published at the end of last year and offers an intriguing retrospective on the health history of Estonians.

Topics that are commonplace for people are revealed through examples and stories that provide a popular-scientific glimpse into the social history of Estonians. Experience stories set in a societal framework help to understand whether and how physical experiences of the past, such as childbirth, diseases, hunger, or doctor's visits, differ from today. The focus will primarily be on 20th-century experiences and health-related landscapes, occasionally dipping into previous and subsequent centuries for enriching nuances. This is covered through exciting chapters such as "Steam Bath, Dear Medicine!", "Sanatoriums - Vouchers, Vacations, and Treatments", "Healthier Children, Stronger Nation", "The Young Hardly Believe the Old", "Forgotten Souls and Lost Dreams - Life in Soviet Orphanages", "From Healer to Smallpox Vaccine", and others.

Did you know that Estonia once produced a unique serum in the world - an anti-venom for viper poison? For this, the institute needed to collect a large amount of viper venom, with an annual "viper requirement" of about a thousand vipers. To gather the necessary amount, the public was urged to catch vipers, and interested parties were sent written instructions on how to catch them at home.

We will hear similar and many other fascinating stories from the history of Estonians' health in the lecture.

Tickets are €6 and available in pre-sale and on the site before the event.
Teachers are requested to acquire a free ticket in advance.
Free with a museum card.

The lecture series is free for general education school teachers as further training. In the 2024/2025 season, there will be 7 lectures, 3 of which will focus on folk costumes. Pärnu Museum will issue a certificate for attending at least five lectures. Participation in the lecture series does not grant course credits.

The next lectures will be held on 20.02, 06.03, 27.03, and 24.04. Schedule changes may occur. Additional information will be available as the event approaches.