Medicine Man

About the exhibition | Online taster | Credits

Beginning of life

This online taster provides just a glimpse of what you would see in Wellcome Collection's 'Medicine Man' gallery of over 500 exhibits. Treat your mind to a visit soon.

Sex, fertility, conception and birth have given us many of our most profound images and metaphors.

Contradictory attitudes to sex are reflected in several of the objects, such as Japanese sex aids, anti-masturbation devices, phallic amulets and nipple shields.

The beginning of life, whether one considers it to be at conception, birth or somewhere in between, is at the forefront of modern Western debates about stem-cell technology and reproductive cloning.

For a taste of what you would see in the 'Beginning of life' section of Wellcome Collection's 'Medicine Man' gallery, take a look at key exhibits.

Sound bite

Listen to Janette Alletoy [MP3], midwife and lecturer at the University of Manchester, sharing some of her experiences as a professional midwife.