The Magic of Medicine: Harry Potter’s world of wizardry inspires exhibit coming to Geisel Library
From UCSD Reports
The UC San Diego Libraries have been selected by the U.S. National Library of Medicine to host “Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine,” a traveling exhibit that sheds light on the Renaissance traditions featured in the Harry Potter canon. The “show” runs May 6 through June 16 at Geisel Library.
Making its second appearance in California, the exhibit includes materials from the National Library of Medicine’s collections — including six illustrated banners describing the practices (alchemy, herbology, astrology and natural philosophy) depicted in the world of wizardry created by Rowling. The exhibit will be accompanied by a series of lectures by UCSD faculty members.
• An opening reception will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 10 in the Seuss Room in Geisel Library with Potter-themed refreshments and entertainment. It will be followed by a 4 p.m. talk titled, “Harry Potter and the Magic of Books,” by Seth Lerer, dean of Arts & Humanities at UCSD.
• On May 17, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Biomedical Library Events Room, Pathology Professor Dr. Henry Powell will trace the development of medicine. His talk is titled, “From Beliefs and Spells to the Scientific Method: A Long, Slow Journey for the Art of Medicine.” Powell is a world authority on experimental neuropathology, and a former chair of the UCSD Academic Senate.
• On May 24, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Seuss Room, Literature Professor Stephen Potts will give a talk on “Harry Potter and the Secrets of Order: Knowledge and Power from Renaissance to Hogwarts.” Potts, who teaches classes on Harry Potter, young adult fiction, and children’s literature, will discuss the influence of the magical tradition on the scientific revolution and the ethical issues that surfaced, as knowledge became a real power for change.
• On May 31, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Science & Engineering Library Events Room in the Geisel Library, Professor Ronald Graham, one of the world’s best known mathematicians, computer theorists, and technology visionaries, will explain the math behind magic in his talk, “Juggling Mathematics and Magic.”
Graham, who calls himself a “mathemagician,” is a skilled magician and juggler — ex-president of the International Jugglers Association. He is also co-author of “Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas that Animate Great Magic Tricks.”
If you go
What: National Library of Medicine exhibit/lecture series, ‘Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine’
When: May 6-June 16
Where: Geisel Library, UCSD campus
Cost: Events are free and open to the public
Register for lectures: http://libguides.ucsd.edu/harrypotter
Exhibit background: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/harrypottersworld/
Magical Healing Potions
Learning various charms, spells and potions comprised the coursework for Harry Potter and his fellows at theHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• Mandrake Restorative Draught was particularly useful to students when The Basilisk was released from the Chamber of Secrets and attacked numerous members of the Hogwarts community. These individuals suffered complete and total paralysis, almost mirroring death, and were restored to their normal state of being when Madam Pomfrey gave them this potion created by Severus Snape using Mandrake plants raised by Professor Sprout and the second-year students.
• Blood-Replenishing Potion tops up the blood levels of the drinker after blood loss from injury or otherwise. Arthur Weasley was required to drink the potion every hour, after being bitten by Nagini, until an antidote for the venom was found.
• Skele-Gro is a dreadful-tasting potion that causes vanished or otherwise lost bones to regrow in a notably slow and painful process. The potion comes in a large bottle and smokes as it is dispensed.
• Wiggenweld Potion is a healing potion with the power to awaken a person from a magically-induced sleep. A prince once used this potion to awaken a princess who had been given the Draught of Living Death by the Hag Leticia Somnolens. The prince first put some of the potion on his lips and then kissed the princess.
Related posts:
- Two new art galleries are drawn to La Jolla … with others on the way
- Art exhibit for those with visual impairments opens on UCSD campus with reception on Friday, Oct. 21
- ‘Paradise’ comes to San Diego’s Maritime Museum
- Artist explores lynchings in exhibit at UCSD gallery
- Market Street Group plans its silver anniversary art exhibition
Short URL: http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=63162
Posted by Dave Schwab
on May 1, 2012. Filed under A & E, Art Galleries & Institutions.
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