BBC Radio Orkney

Time Travels

Factual: History

Susan Morrison explores the rich and sometimes murky depths of Scotland's past.

Time Travels: High Flats and Dodgy Doctors

High Flats, Quacks and Witches

High Flats and Dodgy Doctors

BBC Radio Scotland - Time Travels, High Flats and Dodgy Doctors

What was it like to live in a 1960s city in the sky?

Were Glasgow’s infamous high flats really that bad? Some people liked them. Plus demonic possession and dodgy doctors.

Dr Valerie Wright of Glasgow University takes us into the world of the High Flats just over fifty years ago and what people thought of their new cities in the sky - it wasn't all doom and gloom, but then again there's getting a big 1960s pram up all those stairs when the lift wasn't working. Toddlers getting on your nerves? Needing a lie down after that - what would an 18th century doctor prescribe? Dr James Kennaway of Roehampton University introduces Susan to John Brown, one of the most irresponsible doctors of the Scottish Enlightenment - a one-man party who liked to hit the opium, booze and banqueting and recommended his patients did the same. Nowadays NHS Health Scotland would be trying to hunt him down and gag him before he gave out any more 'health advice'. It goes without saying - don't try this at home! Finally we're off to the historic Kirk of Calder with Ciaran Jones of Edinburgh University and our resident historian Dr Louise Yeoman. We're on the case of a demonic possession from the 1720s and there's a shocking twist in the tale.

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