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Glyn Muitjens is PhD Researcher at Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society

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Off-Beat: Did Galen Really Pioneer Diagnostic Use of the Pulse?

The internet presents a maelstrom of misinformation when it comes to ancient medicine. In this blog, Glyn debunks a claim about an important ancient medical author: Galen. He examines several older biological texts to refute that Galen was the first to use examination of the pulse in diagnosis.

Glyn Muitjens • June 30, 2022

LUCAS Explains #10: Why is it so important to us to feel comfortable in our own skin?

In this time of social distancing, physical contact, and therefore our skin, has become the subject of discussion on a global scale. Has the skin always been this important in the social life of human beings? And in what ways? Glyn examines these questions for Greek antiquity.

Glyn Muitjens • September 29, 2020

V-Steaming: On Paltrow and Hippocrates

What do Gwyneth Paltrow and the Hippocratics have in common? Both endorse(d) vaginal steaming! Glyn discusses the ancient Greek phenomenon of uterine vapour baths, focussing on similarities between the cultural ideas underlying Hippocratic treatments and modern discussions of ‘v-steaming.’

Glyn Muitjens • May 07, 2020

Self-Isolation and Thucyd-…

It may seem attractive to turn to past medical practices and epidemics to see what they can teach us about the corona crisis, but Glyn has doubts about the usefulness of this approach. He would rather share some struggles of self-isolation as a single, non-teaching PhD candidate.

Glyn Muitjens • April 02, 2020

Milk Matters: Some Reflections on the Use of Human Milk in Hippocratic Recipes

In this blog, Glyn Muitjens examines the application of human milk in medical recipes of the Hippocratic Corpus, to demonstrate that its use can teach us something about Greek culture. In fact, human milk played a central role in policing female bodies.

Glyn Muitjens • June 27, 2019