PODCAST · history
In Sickness
by In Sickness
Two friends discuss the great diseases of history, then and now. Together, we’ll lay out the spread of impactful diseases throughout history and the modern day, their social and political determinants, and how their history has affected our modern treatment of each illness. Angeliki is a doctoral candidate at Oxford, studying the history of disease, and Maya is a public health specialist with a particular focus on developing areas. They both love wine, cheese, true, crime, and maintaining a faint grasp on their faith in humanity.
Episodes
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Yellow Fever
After a brief reprieve, we are back to hating on the colonizers (did we ever really stop?), but this time they're getting yellow fever! We talk about the names for this disease (Yellow Jack, anyone?), based on some of its more horrifying symptoms. For some visual aids, feel free to check us out…
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MMR Part 2: Mumps & Rubella
Don't get your goiters in a twist.....the next episode is here! Last time, we talked about measles, the first M of MMR. But mumps and rubella are so often overlooked! Join us this episode as we discuss these two diseases through the lens of media. We will talk about Brooklyn 99, Miss Marple, and…
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MMR Part 1: Measles
This episode we begin to explore the MMR vaccine and the diseases it protects against (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella). We focus mostly on measles, as there is a lot of ground to cover. Angel talks about its reign of terror, and the way it affected entire nations, as it spread across the world...or...
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Long COVID
Thank you dear friends for your patience as we took a brief recess for...health reasons. Get it? Join us on a reunion episode (recorded March 2025) as Angeliki explains her relationship with long COVID, our hiatus, and the new information we have learned over the last few years about COVID-19. We...
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Dengue
Welcome back to the podcast that we now have to just admit is quarterly. Maybe not forever though! Join us this week as we have a blast wading through the different names of dengue, the severity of it all, and getting riled up about human experimentation- as we do. Follow us on instagram for some...
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Lyme Disease
Happy holidays to all! In the holiday spirit, we offer up our newest episode on Lyme disease, a tick-borne zoonotic disease. Just the thing to take a quick relaxing break from all the activities that we often have this time of year! Learn more about the recent (recent) history of this disease…
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Spicy Cocktail of Disease - Minisode
We revisit our first episode, where we discussed the Flu and COVID-19, and reflect on the current "tridemic" status many countries are facing right now. A brief overview of where we are right now with COVID, the flu, and RSV, just to keep us in practice. We'll be back soon with another full…
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Abortion
Content Warning: Abortion, Miscarriage, Donald Trump We're back, with another spooky halloween episode! After all, what could be scarier than the loss of a vital reproductive health service. Join us as we remember how to podcast, discuss attitudes and perceptions of abortion through history, and...
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Lupus
A disease of many faces, lupus has absolutely nothing to do with wolves, and everything to do with your immune system. Follow us on this wild ride that starts with Queen Anne and millipedes, and ends with Ivermectin and orchids. You'll see what we mean.
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Hemophilia
We're back with another holiday themed blood disease everyone! Tune in to hear with this is (loosely) festive, as well as get the hot takes on the Romanovs, the royal disease, and the modern world of hemophilia treatment. Keep safe, warm, and healthy, and we'll see you in 2022!
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Vampires
As if the topic of this podcast wasn't scary enough already...enjoy this spooooooky halloween minisode! This week we indulge ourselves with myths, mystery, literature, and a little pop culture. Learn with us about vampires as a disease, disease as a vampire, and how the two may be inextricable....
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Sleeping Sickness
A special birthday episode, for our special birthday host, Angeliki! It says a lot about both of us as people that this might be one of our favourite ways to celebrate- if we can't be together of course. Deep dive with us on this episode, as we look at the origins of human history, colonialism…
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HPV Take Two
Why the long wait, why the take two? Good old fashioned technological illiteracy! Enjoy our finely honed (read: done twice because Maya deleted her audio) analysis of the history and current context of Human Papilloma Virus- and find out what that name means. For which we sincerely apologize.…
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The Plague
On this episode of In Sickness we discuss the plague, then and now. Fans of the Black Death (we use the word fan very lightly here) will be pleased to know that there are many more types and strains of plague to learn about, and even to contract in the modern day! Hurray! Curious as to how the...
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Ergot
With the addition of new recording equipment we are back and better than ever, happy to present you with a really late Spooky Halloween/ really early Christmas episode (depending on your perspective)! Today we discuss Ergot, a fungus that grows primarily on rye, and has a myriad of terrifying…
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Lead Poisoning
Hi friends of the pod! We're back, and we're seasonally themed (whether we are better than ever or not, is up to you). This week we discuss lead poisoning. Thematically, yes it's a bit weak- but there are lead poisoning epidemics, and hey, it's nearly halloween. Few things are spookier than…
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Polio
In honour of wild polio being eliminated in Africa this week, we explore the roots of the disease, and the study of it over the years (and where it failed- because of course we have thoughts about that). We learn more interesting facts about Tuskegee, conspiracy, a man named Heine, and much much...
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Smallpox
Happy 10 episodes, and welcome back to your regularly scheduled programming! Bringing you back to our roots with a little bit of smallpox, cow pox, and poxes of all sizes. Have questions about vaccines? Well so do we! We may even be able to provide some answers to your questions, but this podcast...
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Hysteria: Part 2
In the second episode of this two-part series, we continue our discussion of hysteria, and how it has influenced modern day health care. This time, we focus on mental health, and the various treatments and diagnoses seen throughout history, as well as the reflections in the modern day. Mental...
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Hysteria: Part 1
In this two-part episode, we begin our discussion of hysteria in history and the modern day by talking about physical health, and how it was (or wasn't) diagnosed. We now know that hysteria is more of a "category" than an actual disease, but one that was primarily used as a gendered tool for...
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Leprosy/Hansen's Disease
This week on In Sickness we are discussing Hansen's Disease, or what is commonly known as Leprosy. We talk about who the heck Hansen was, the medieval leper trope and Leper colonies in Hawai'i. Warning- may include light "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" spoilers at the end ;). Up...
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Typhoid
This week we'll be dipping our toes into typhoid. Sensationalized and memeified as it was a few hundred years ago, we argue that this disease is perhaps a bit neglected in the modern day. Learn more about Mary Mallon (usually referred to as Typhoid Mary), and a brief foray into health economics-...
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Tuberculosis
Today's episode touches on a lot of topics (well, if we're honest, they all do...we just have a lot to say about a lot of things!). As with most of our discussions of epidemic disease, racism, inequality, and bias, play a big role in who is getting sick and how they are treated. We discuss this…
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Anthrax
This week we'll be talking all things anthrax. Apart from the infamous terrorist attacks in 2001, this disease isn't talked about all that much (or at least, not to us!). We were excited to learn and explore the history, weird conspiracies, and spy thriller story behind this bacteria. Don't…
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Cholera
The disease of the week is cholera! Cholera is notorious for following lines of inequality- but it wasn't always so discriminating. This week, we talk John Snow (who some call the father of modern public health), Hippocrates, and Haiti. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @InSickness2020 where...
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Syphilis
Maya and Angeliki discuss syphilis, and the complex global history the disease carries with it. From (contested) origins in the new world, through Europe, and back to Alabama, this impossible to pronounce bacteria has made its mark in history. A hidden modern epidemic, there is a lot to learn…
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COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu
In our first episode we discuss two of the worlds most devastating pandemics, and how we have (or have not) learned from the past. Also, fermentation. Tune in next time for Syphilis, then and now!
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Two friends discuss the great diseases of history, then and now. Together, we’ll lay out the spread of impactful diseases throughout history and the modern day, their social and political determinants, and how their history has affected our modern treatment of each illness. Angeliki is a doctoral candidate at Oxford, studying the history of disease, and Maya is a public health specialist with a particular focus on developing areas. They both love wine, cheese, true, crime, and maintaining a faint grasp on their faith in humanity.
HOSTED BY
In Sickness
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does In Sickness have?
In Sickness currently has 27 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is In Sickness about?
Two friends discuss the great diseases of history, then and now. Together, we’ll lay out the spread of impactful diseases throughout history and the modern day, their social and political determinants, and how their history has affected our modern treatment of each illness. Angeliki is a doctoral...
How often does In Sickness release new episodes?
In Sickness has 27 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to In Sickness?
You can listen to In Sickness on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts In Sickness?
In Sickness is created and hosted by In Sickness.
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