In the episode, Rhodas baby girl, Susan, suffers from limb-reduction anomalies. In the United States, the series one transmission on PBS drew an average household audience rating of 2.1, translating into three million viewers 50 percent above PBS's primetime average for the 201112 series. [14] On 4 March 2019, the BBC announced it had commissioned two further series and Christmas specials, through to an eleventh series in 2022, moving the plot into the late-sixties. Meanwhile, the ever-determined Sister Veronica sets up a clinic with Dr Turner to check on the health of Poplars working children, but one of Freds paperboys gives cause for concern when it becomes clear he is very poorly indeed. "The programme is truly a national treasure, and it will always be a huge honour for me to have been a part of something so wonderful. The principal cast of the show has included Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Judy Parfitt, Cliff Parisi, Stephen McGann, Ben Caplan, Daniel Laurie, Emerald Fennell, Victoria Yeates, Jack . Rated: Fiction T - English - Romance/Hurt/Comfort - Patrick, Shelagh, Sr. Evangelina, Timothy - Chapters: 20 - Words: . Nancy asks Fred to open another tab for her at the shops. See production, box office & company info, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Chatham, Kent, England, UK. The latest episode was an emotional watch. Episode four's rating reached 10.89 million. In July 2012 BBC Worldwide announced it sold the global Video on Demand rights of the programme to Netflix, while all episodes are also on BBC iPlayer in the UK. (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Olly Courtney). Leonie Elliott's Nurse Lucille Robinson and her onscreen husband Cyril Robinson (Zephryn Taitte) were also back. But she soon has more to worry about than bridesmaid dresses and wedding readings when she tries to help a troubled teenage mum who has a difficult relationship with her parents. Nurse Lucille Anderson (Leonie Elliott) with her latest delivery at Nonnatus House in Call the Midwife, series eight. ), The tragedy ultimately proved pivotal for modern medicine. Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the sister of Queen Elizabeth II, she was born in 1930 to Prince Albert George, Duke of York and Elizabeth, Duchess of York, later their Majesties the King and Queen. Support Systems are Crucial: Everybody Needs Somebody, Real Benefits Behind Birth in the Upright Position. After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at Whats On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off. The cast and crew of Call the Midwife celebrate the show's tenth anniversary. When Call the Midwife eventually ends it is currently commissioned through to series 13 in 2024 the closing scene should, logically, be a jolly in Stockholm as Dr Turner celebrates his receipt of the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. Pupil Midwife Alison Hopkiss 3 episodes, 2021 Cheryl Campbell . [32] This was almost 2 million above the slot average, and by some distance the most popular UK drama in every week of transmission. But as the practice of FGM was noted and criticised by missionary nurses in Africa early in the 20th century, the nun-midwives of Nonnatus House were perhaps more likely to have heard of the mutilation than the average medical practice.
21 August 1930 Firebrand: See Alicia Vikander as Katherine Parr. Molly Osborne as Gwendoline . Set in 1965, the ninth series addresses diphtheria, a blind expectant mother, and the continued role and relevance of Nonnatus House in the community.
Call the Midwife (TV Series 2012- ) - IMDb Check out more Call the Midwife recaps andreactions from around the web, including blogs from WTTW Chicago, WETA Washington, NPT Nashville, Thirteen in New York and GBH in Boston.
Megan . Trixie cares for a Hindu mo, Nancy oversees a child born out of wedlock, but things take a very unexpected and shocking turn. Sister Veronica joined the medical team at Nonnatus House as a health visitor in the community. Series two was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 18 June 2013. (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions). Meanwhile, kinks remain in Sister Veronica and Nurse Cranes working relationship can these two ever get along? Find out for yourself - we all have to in the end. Call the Midwife season 12 started on New Year's Day on BBC One in the UK and now all episodes of the series are available to . [7] In the first two series, Nonnatus House was filmed at St. Joseph's Missionary College in Mill Hill, North London until the building was converted to luxury flats at which point a new Nonnatus House set was created at Longcross Studios in Surrey where sets were built for the new Nonnatus and interior sets. Chris Hemsworth Changed His Life After an Ominous Health Warning, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 2.
Call the Midwife TV Review | Common Sense Media But according to Alanna Nashwho spent time with the real Colonel in the 90sthere were times when he was just as scary as what you see onscreen.
The cast of Call the Midwife cast and their real-life children Not that we wanted to see baby Freddie suffering from a severe case of the croupa brief moment of lucidity on the filter-less Sister Monica Joans (Judy Parfitt) part (she was blaming Herr Hitler for the destruction of a Nativity figurine only days earlier) allowed for a hasty diagnosis and treatmentbut it was nice to see Peter receive a much-needed dose of reality: Life is going to throw you curveballs, and your cool-headed wife wont always be there to solve your problems, so learn to deal with them. Finally, Matthews father, Sir Brigham, visits Poplar, relations between father and son are somewhat frosty at best. She occasionally comes across as a bit rude, but she means no harm by it. [59], This article is about the television adaptation. The author knocks on the doors bearing the darkest symbols, behind which lie guns, ammo, antisemitism, antiabortion dogmaand a belief in the coming civil war. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Although considered the season 3 finale, the CTM Christmas Special served in many ways as the start of a new direction for the critically acclaimed series. As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book. [37] Series seven, again consisting of eight episodes, began airing on Sunday, 21 January 2018, with episode one viewed by 9.87 million viewers. This image is arguably the most iconic from the filmnot because it appeared on the movie poster in several cities, but because it shows the fluidity of how photographers captured their subjects at the time, breaking away from their position behind the tripod-mounted camera. Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch. It is also broadcast in the United States on the PBS network, with the first series starting on 30 September 2012.[3]. Nancy, As Trixie and Matthews wedding officially begins, a series of small and great disasters threaten to impede the day.
Princess Margaret | Call the Midwife Wiki | Fandom But meeting Fiona's parents was all a bit overwhelming for Trixie even something a new outfit couldn't sort. Call the Midwife is a BBC period drama series about a group of nurse midwives working in the East End of London in the late 1950s and 1960s. Worth wrote the book after retiring from a subsequent career as a musician, and it was originally published in July 2002. Violence & Scariness. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Call the Midwife: Created by Heidi Thomas. [36] The sixth series began airing in the UK on 22 January 2017, taking the drama into 1962. Jenny Lee), and the end of season 3 saw Jenny, like her real-life counterpart, . For example, in series six, when the midwives recognised a case of female genital mutilation (FGM) in a patient, some objected that Call the Midwife was misrepresenting 1962 by pulling forward what feels a more recent cause of outrage. Labels that can leave feelings of shame, guilt, and inadequacy. However, with between 80 and 100 babies being born each month in Poplar alone, the primary work is to help bring safe childbirth to women in the area and to look after their countless newborns. [5][6], Many of the exterior scenes are shot at The Historic Dockyard Chatham standing in for East London streets and buildings. Princess Margaret died in 2002, her last years had been blighted by ill health caused by her smoking and drinking habits. Bath Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) and Nurse Trixie Franklin (Helen George) on a home visit to a pregnant patient. Its a stretch, yes, especially because they both seem a little too posh to head off to the Reeperbahn, but who wouldnt want to see these two stumble into a nightclub and witness a midnight rock show by a rough-and-ready gang of lads from Liverpool? In May 2012, BBC Worldwide and the American Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) announced that the first series of Call the Midwife would premiere in the United States on 30 September 2012.
Second to nun: why Call the Midwife's medical miracles are a joke All Rights Reserved. " We literally start next week with Christmas again, " he said. The midwives are coming back for another series. As she grew up she got more involved in royal life.
BBC One - Call the Midwife - Episode guide Dr. Turner and Sister Ver, One of the boys of Buckles paper shop becomes unwell. Enoch Powells infamous speech casts a long shadow over the borough. Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails. With filming set to begin this week on this years Call the Midwife Christmas special, Stephen McGann (Dr. Patrick Turner) joked recently with the press that he was certain the sun would come out to mark the occasion. All rights reserved. [4] It has been praised for tackling topical subjects and contemporary social, cultural and economic issues, including nationalised healthcare, infertility, teen pregnancy, adoption, the importance of local community, miscarriage and stillbirths, abortion and unwanted pregnancies, birth defects, poverty, common illnesses, epidemic disease, prostitution, incest, religion and faith, racism and prejudice, same-sex attraction and female genital mutilation.
Where is Call the Midwife Filmed? TV Show Filming Locations Trixie loves nothing more than gossiping with her colleagues and is quite nosey when it comes to other people's business. Yes, there is plenty more drama to come from Call the Midwife, with a Christmas 2023 special on the way, as well as season 13 confirmed to air in 2023. Call the Midwife season 12 spoilers follow.
Why Did Jennifer Kirby Leave Call the Midwife - Town & Country Jessica Raine. Jenny Lee), and the end of season 3 saw Jenny, like her real-life counterpart, leave midwifery to pursue a career as a Marie Curie nurse. It's Christmas 1959 in London's East End, and change is coming for the midwives of Nonnatus Houseonce again as a new decade approaches. Indeed, as the doc has also treated characters dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the partition of India (this series) and the Cuban missile crisis (series five), they could throw in the peace prize as well.
But, intriguingly, December of that year saw the worlds first successful heart transplant (admittedly in Cape Town not Poplar). Whether or not this series' depiction of the East End in the 50's is completely accurate or not seems of little relevance to me. Meet the nuns, nurses and all other characters who bring Call the Midwife to life -- and explore Q&As with the cast. It is." Most of the core cast is confirmed to be returning including Stephen McGann as Dr. Turner, Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, and Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane. It is now 1968, and there are changes in the air.
Call the Midwife (book) - Wikipedia A hor, From new locations to new relationships, the cast of Call the Midwife - including Jenny Agutter, Helen George, Laura Main, Its 1968, and the nuns and nurses from Nonnatus House return for more midwifery and family life. Thats a trajectory that our drama plotline reflects. Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. We may also suspect that Nonnatus House patients will suffer PTSD from the Torrey Canyon oil spill and the Vietnam war. [19][20], There have been two albums released with music from the series: a 2012 released Call the Midwife: The Album consisting of period appropriate songs and score tracks from the first series by Salem and a second Call the Midwife: Original Soundtrack Album released in 2018 featuring highlights from Malagnini's score from series 4-7.[19][21]. Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London in the late 1950s to late 1960s. My hope is they will take a page out of the Game of Thrones playbook and move supporting player Miranda Hart (who is CTMs version of Peter Dinklage) into the forefront. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.
How can Mature Jenny reminisce about events she didnt participate in? Quickie cheat sheet: Call the Midwife is based on the memoirs of the same name by Jennifer Worth (a.k.a. She endured one last stroke and died, her sister the Queen was the one who had to tell their mother Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother who died only seven weeks later. . But, as is the case with any flaw in a successful TV series, the problem inevitably risks like a chronic illness becoming more acute as time goes on. In the Christmas special, Sister Julienne explains to the midwives that, following the death of her grandmother in the season 9 finale, Valerie had resigned and transferred to the Hope Clinic mission in South Africa, which featured in the 2016 Christmas special. When it comes to her friends, she takes great pleasure in teasing them about what is . Whether or not Kirby might return in season 10 or 11 (both of which the show has already been renewed for) remains to be seen. And while the show will be packed with beloved characters like Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan, Helen George as Trixie, and Laura Main's Shelagh, fans may notice one conspicuous absence from the lineup. In episode 5 Nancy oversees the care of Jill Mellor and her newborn baby, Mylene, a child she has had out of wedlock with Spencer Wray, a young man from the West Indies.
Call the Midwife Wiki | Fandom "And at Northfield." "I have heard that Northfield Hospital is quite a place.
Call the Midwife (TV Series 2012- ) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb [57] In particular, commentators have noted the attention given to female social issues in the drama's post-war, pre-pill setting. Two exceptional illnesses in a few weeks were unlikely to worry personnel who have previously identified the uncommon genetic disorders osteogenesis imperfecta (season four) and achondroplasia (six), and encountered mothers suffering from leprosy (seven) and puerperal, or postpartum, psychosis (three). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Call the Midwife: viewers left sobbing after 'shocking' storyline in [32], On 28 February 2014, BBC confirmed that Call the Midwife had been commissioned for a 2014 Christmas special[34] and fourth series, to air in 2015. Non, Lucille struggles with her mental and emotional health; Sister Julienne is deeply concerned by an angry red rash on a pati, As she sets about helping a mother whose newborn baby is suffering from a clotting disorder, Nancy is harboring a secret o, Nurse Crane is shocked when her fitness comes into question during a ventouse training course. Not only did Jenny Agutter return as Sister Julienne after her brush with death in season 11, but it is thought she will be joined by Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar) Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), Nurse Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack), Nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett), Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) and Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen). The Child Migrants Programme, the threat of nuclear warfare (including emergency response guidelines issued by local Civil Defence Corps), LGBT rights, and syphilis among sex workers are addressed in 1960-set fourth series, with a patient with typhoid, the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill and impact of stroke in the fifth set in 1961. [38] It was the No.1 rated programme on UK TV for all weeks of its transmission, ending 11 March 2018. The plot follows newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee, as well as the work of midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent and part of an Anglican religious order, coping with the medical problems in the deprived Poplar district of London's desperately poor East End in the 1950s. Desperate to get his wife back to her full health, Cyril takes matters into his own hands. Since the series became established, series writer Heidi Thomas said at the Radio Times Festival this past September, people were saying to us, when are you going to [address] thalidomide? Call the Midwife's Humpty-Dumpty, fairytale-style wedding saw Trixie get hitched to Matthew in a ceremony littered with calamity.Still it was the dream . Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London in the late 1950s to late 1960s. With Vanessa Redgrave, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Stephen McGann. Call the Midwife is centered around a (somewhat un.
Northfield Chapter 1, a call the midwife fanfic | FanFiction I had been groping for years to understand, or at least to come to terms with the meaning of life. Seek and ye shall find. ", In response to the news, the show's executive producer Pippa Harris told RadioTimes, It has been a delight to work with Jennifer on Call the Midwife and we wish her well as she cycles away from Nonnatus House.. [29], A second series of eight episodes aired in the UK in early 2013. As Trixie and Matthews wedding approaches, I think of the parallels between wedding planning and planning for a birth. Even more impressively, Turner and his team spotted these problems by simple observation, without the pioneering screening schemes Nonnatus introduced for tuberculosis (two) and cervical cancer (eight), the latter testing regimen also uncovering an intersex patient in the surgerys catchment area. Per The Oxford Journal, The thalidomide tragedy marked a turning point in toxicity testing, as it prompted United States and international regulatory agencies to develop systematic toxicity testing protocols. Similarly, the use of thalidomide as a tool in developmental biology led to important discoveries in the biochemical pathways of limb development., 2023 Cond Nast. In the fourth episode, Nurse Crane is left doubting her abilities as a midwife after her age is called into question while attending a ventouse training course at St Cuthberts. Offers may be subject to change without notice. [35] On 3 November 2014, BBC announced that an eight-episode fifth series had been commissioned; it began airing on 17 January 2016; the fifth series takes the story into 1961. 10 May 2021, 11:04 BST. In August, just as the show was ramping up for filming on the . Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Princess Margaret An AU crossover version of Call The Midwife and Jane Eyre. Positive Role Models. However, the maternity home is thrown into chaos when an emergency outbreak of gastroenteritis is declared. But while UK fans might already be looking forward to Call the Midwife season 13, what can US fans expect from Call the Midwife season 12? The seventh episode of the season sees the plight of the homeless brought movingly into the spotlight as Nancy whose confidence and compassion grow by the week helps a young couple who are expecting their second baby and find themselves with nowhere to live after being thrown out of their caravan.
The Real-Life Tragedy Behind Call the Midwife's Heartbreaking Season The one where EW follows up with the cast. We knew before the season aired in the UK that there would be a wedding between Matthew and Trixie after sneaky behind-the-scenes snaps saw the cast and crew filming a wedding, with Helen George(Trixie) and Olly Rix(Matthew) spotted leaving a church in a bridal dress and suit and with happy onlookers cheering behind them. The pair divorced in 1978 after both where discovered to be in relationships with others, the princess never remarried after the divorce. Fans of this gritty, edgy (seriously, if you havent checked out this hilarious parody video the cast did in 2013, stop everything and watch it now) BBC series got to briefly catch up with their favorite East End nuns and nurses, and, as a holiday treat, see Voice of Mature Jenny Vanessa Redgrave in the flesh for the first time in three seasons. The second series of Call the Midwife was sold to PBS for transmission from 31 March 2013[25] and to SVT (Sweden) for transmission from 19 May 2013. How King Charles and Prince William Plan to Protect the Monarchy Against an Uncertain Future. All rights reserved. Is The Diplomat Returning for a Season 2? The tenth series, set in 1966, compares the practice at Nonnatus House with the private Lady Emily Clinic in Mayfair, PKU, diabetes, and the controversy of abortion on the eve of legalisation. As she grew up . Series 10 View episodes. Yes! But at least Sister Winifred is around to help them make mince pies for Christmas! In episode six Trixie is getting ever closer to tying the knot with her beloved Matthew, but the preparations for the big day are not going smoothly, which is making the bride-to-be rather nervous. Why Did Jennifer Kirby Leave Call the Midwife? Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. While cervical smear testing was not an NHS standard in 1964, there were trial schemes at that time. But continuing to have Redgrave narrate the series seems a bit incongruous now that Jenny Lee is no longer at Nonnatus House. The invitations are out! So far in season 10 of Call the Midwife, which concludes on Sunday, Dr Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) and his team of midwives have diagnosed a case of gestational diabetes, a condition little understood at the dramatised time of 1966, and a very rare enzyme disorder, phenylketonuria. [39], The first series was released in a Region 2, two-disc set on 12 March 2012. The sheer number of rare conditions Dr Turner and the midwives of Nonnatus House diagnose would warrant a Nobel prize and are making the series as silly as Midsomer Murders. "Making the decision to leave Call the Midwife was a wrench," she told Radio Times . [42], In the United States, the first series was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 6 November 2012.
Call the Midwife recap: 'Christmas Special' | EW.com (The U.S. managed to avoid the thalidomide tragedy because of a hold on the drugs approval by the Food and Drug Administration. And, of course, there will always be the usual historical moments marked by the show, along with plenty of expectant mothers keeping the medical team on their toes as always. Read the Gospels. Doctor Turner and his family were back including his wife Shelagh Turner (Laura Main) and son Timothy Turner (Max Macmillan). The full cast of Call the Midwife season 12 is as follows. The improbability, rather, lies in one East End doctor encountering so many complications that affect a tiny minority of pregnancies. If you're a there-from-day-one fan of Call The Midwife you'll remember Jessica Raine as the lead character, Jenny Lee, in series one to three.The actress welcomed her first child, a .
Family Call the Midwife is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth (known in the show as Jenny Lee), featuring narration and an on-screen appearance in the 2014 Christmas Special by Vanessa Redgrave as an older Jenny. As a Modern Day Midwife, episode 6 made me reflect on the climate many women may currently face with feeling unseen and unheard within the realm of womens health care. [11] A Christmas special also aired in 2015. And now, just a few short months after the last season, we have the springtime return of PBS favorite, Call The Midwife.Between our scrappy nurses, sassy nuns and gut-wrenching emotional trauma that somehow keeps you wanting more, there's a lot to be excited about. After a tumultuous year, Call the Midwife is finally .css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}returning this Christmas with their annual holiday special. The Sisters and midwives carry out many nursing duties across the community. The Jenny-less Christmas Special was just as entertaining as any episode with Raine, which should be chalked up to CTMs robust ensemble, but its hard to say at this point if the show is going to suffer in the long run without a leading role. A midwife for more than 20 years, Margaret Aksu, 47, has spent the last five in Stornoway working for NHS Western Isles Maternity Service. But as someone who studies historical accuracy in TV drama as closely as Dr Turner watches for obscure obstetric presentations, I am fascinated by Call the Midwife as a very distinctive case study. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. [50] Maane Khatchatourian of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Just what the doctor ordered. ", "BBC - Call The Midwife - Media Centre - Week 1", "Call the Midwife (DVD): Amazon.co.uk: Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Pam Ferris: Film & TV", "Call the Midwife Collection Series 12 + Christmas Special [DVD]", "Weekend TV: Homeland, Dexter, PBS' Midwife, Fringe, More", "Call the Midwife draws its biggest audience", "BBC Live Plus 7 metric adds iPlayer viewing to programme stats", "Record number of delegates head to biggest ever BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool to celebrate a significant anniversary: Notes to Editor", "Caitlin Moran on TV: Call the radical feminist", "Women's have-it-all fantasy often spells heartbreak", "Call the Midwife is the torchbearer of feminism on television", "BBC should have 'stopped Call the Midwife at the end of last series', Broadcast: Midwife delivered across Europe, Digital Spy: 'Call the Midwife' to deliver Christmas special, BBC confirms, BBC Worldwide sells Call the Midwife Video on Demand rights to Netflix, TV Choice Magazine: Interview with Pam Ferris and Jessica Raine, The Guardian: Interview with Miranda Hart, Huffington Post: Interview with Jenny Agutter, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Call_the_Midwife&oldid=1147531578, Best Episode of a TV Fiction Series or Serial, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Screen Music Awards, Megan Cusack as Nurse Anne "Nancy" Corrigan, Ben Caplan as Police Constable (later Sergeant) Peter Noakes (series 16), Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances (series 812), This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 15:34. Preparations for the big wedding are underway; Nancy visits a homeless family. The series was created by Heidi Thomas, originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth who worked with the Community of St. John the Divine, an Anglican religious order, at their convent in the East End in London. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. In contrast, Turner and the nuns/midwives are working in 1950s and 60s England, using little more than thermometers and abdominal listening horns, their patients drawn from a few postcodes.