Geological drugs and prophylactics – discovering how knowledge of geology was used in the past to prevent disease and protect against ailments
Dr Chris Duffin will remind us that the avoidance of and protection against disease in the historical past, without the benefit of a modern understanding of pathogen transmission, physiology and public health, was an unreliable business. As a consequence the natural world was exploited for potential drugs and protective materials – amongst which are a surprising range of geological components.
The ‘Discovery’ of the Silurian: following in the footsteps of Murchison.
Using original material and first-hand evidence from the field, Duncan Hawley will outline the origin one of the most iconic geological Periods, suggesting why Sir Roderick Murchison chose to view this particular location in the Wye valley as the site where he ‘discovered’ the Silurian.