Sevenoaks Branch Talk: The History of TB (Tuberculosis) with Dr Charles Shee

In 1818 the poet John Keats coughed up blood, and stated "It is my death warrant".

Come and hear how tuberculosis, sometimes called "The White Death", became more prevalent in the 19th Century and remained one of the major infectious killers in to the 20th century.

Charles Shee, a retired chest physician, will be talking about the impact of the disease on individuals and society, including the rise of the sanatorium movement, how treatments were discovered, and does tuberculosis still pose a threat?

About the speaker:

Dr Charles Shee is a retired chest physician who lives in Otford.

He is on the committee of the Otford and District Historical Society and is currently supervising a group of volunteers reorganising their archives. Post retirement he has become interested in archaeology and spends much time cataloguing artefacts and helping on excavations, including that of the Roman villa in Otford.

Doors open 10.45am, meeting starts 11am.

There is a large public car park (payment required, 50p for 2 hours, £1 for 3 hours) adjacent to the hall but it can be busy.

No booking, just turn up.

The Society is a registered charity and membership fees and donations are an important part of our income. The Talk is free to members but guests and visitors are asked to make a donation towards hall hire and speaker's fee. There will be a donations box at the venue.

But Society membership only costs £10 a year (£12 joint members) https://www.nwkfhs.org.uk/about/membership/our-membership