This may half-term at Kensington we ran activities on the theme of Fit to Rule.
We asked families if they thought they had what it took to train as a royal surgeon!
There were five tasks to complete set up in Victoria’s bedroom.
1. You are what you wear! Make sure you look the part by trying on a wig and surgeon’s coat.
2. Learn it off by heart! George II died on 25th October 1760 at Kensington Palace. The autopsy showed he had died of a heart attack. This is drawing of his heart. Why don’t you make a rubbing?
3. Know your anatomy! In the 18th century people were fascinated by learning about how the body worked. Put on the organ tabard and see if you can place the organs correctly.
4. Test your medical nose! Royal surgeons and physicians used different remedies to cure illnesses in the past. Have a smell of some of the jars on the table and guess what they are and what they cure.
5. Know your royal patient! Decorate and make your own royal puppet of Mary II, Queen Victoria or Prince Albert. Decorate them to show the illnesses they suffered.
At the end, once families had completed all five tasks, they brought their certificate up to the examination desk and we stamped and authenticated their qualification. A lot of new royal surgeons were created! Some even qualified in less than 20 minutes. Better than 7 years at medical school?!
More photos can be found on our Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/53589066@N03/sets/72157633857248528/
N.B the certificate awarded does not permit the holder to undertake amputations, bloodletting, the application of leeches or indeed any medical practice in a professional sense!
A big thank you to all our volunteers and freelancers who helped run this event. We really appreciate your help as always!
A huge thank you from me as well to Sarah and Michelle for all their hard work in making this half-term such a success.
