logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2022
57m 50s

Boob Jobs

History Hit
About this episode

Who had the very first boob job? Why were women injecting liquid paraffin into their chests? And, how has the procedure developed over time?


Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by Professor Ruth Holliday and cosmetic surgeon Professor Vikram Devaraj to find out the bumpy history of breast augmentation, involving lawsuits, pin-ups... and mattress foam.


Find out how a sixties American housewife was persuaded to have the very first silicone implants, and more about medical scandal involving boob jobs.


You can find out more about Ruth's book here, and more about Vikram's work here.


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Annie Coloe.


Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.


This podcast includes music by Epidemic Sounds and an archive clip from the Oprah Winfrey Network.



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
Aug 22
How Hot Was Henry VIII?
With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?In this episode, Kate is joined by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, host of our sister podcast Not Just the Tudors. They discuss the vanity of Henry VI ... Show More
45m 27s
Aug 19
The Real Virgin Mary
Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And what else do we know about this woman?Joining Kate today to help her get to know more about Mary, her life and her influence is author ... Show More
42m 5s
Aug 15
How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?
As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian and friend of the show Emma Southon (https://www.emmasouthon.com) to find out what was happening on the ground as the Roman empire crumb ... Show More
40m 17s
Recommended Episodes
May 2022
Femme et Moyen Âge : Princesses, religieuses ou sorcières ? - Entretien avec Michelle Bubenicek
Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour. Au Moyen Âge, la place des femmes est bien plus complexe que l’on ne croit. Au delà des archétypes auxquels le cinéma et la littérature nous ont habitués, a quelles positions sociales peuvent-elles aspirer ? Je vous propose de découvrir un ex ... Show More
8m 45s
May 2023
Alexander The Great's Sex Life
This episode contains references and words of a sexual nature. Did Alexander the Great and the Queen of the Amazons really have sex for 13 days solid? What do we know about his male lovers? And how did his sex life stand up to that of his dad’s? Today, the guest is our very own T ... Show More
44m 56s
Jun 2024
Women Pirates of the Caribbean
Anne Bonny and Mary Read were pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the early 18th century. For both of them, piracy offered a chance at a freedom otherwise disallowed to women. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb learns more about Bonny and Read fro ... Show More
46m 30s
Mar 2023
First Ladies of the United States
Don talks to former White House reporter Kate Andersen Brower about how the role of First Lady has changed - and stayed the same - since the 1960s. Supporting their husband's presidency, while pursuing their own agenda. Each putting their stamp on their time in office - while oft ... Show More
31m 17s
Jun 2023
Amelia Earhart
On July 2 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, took off on what was supposed to be the final leg of their circumnavigation of the globe, but would in fact be their final flight. In this episode Don is joined by Susan Butler to explore this American sweetheart's pe ... Show More
52m 11s
Sep 2023
Sabotage & Secret Weapons: The WW2 Dirty Tricks Department
What is a bat bomb? Why would you cover a fox in radioactive paint? And who are the masterminds behind the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA? In this episode, Don is joined by John Lisle to discuss the creations of the Research and Development branch at the O ... Show More
36m 1s
Sep 2019
Boudica
Greg Jenner and his guests discuss the important questions surrounding Queen Boudica including: Is she a feminist icon? How do you pronounce her name? And was she really ginger? Get ready to forget everything you thought you knew about Boudica and learn what it was really like wh ... Show More
45m 13s
May 2024
Workers: Rebecca Lukens
Rebecca Lukens (1794-1854) is known as the first female CEO in the United States. She ran Brandywine Iron Works and Nail Factory, successfully guiding it through a difficult economic recession and a rapidly industrializing workplace.  For Further Reading:  Rebecca Lukens: A woman ... Show More
5m 17s
Jul 2021
After Hours: Boobs: News You Can Use Whether You Have Some-- or Know Someone Who Does
Information that's not easy to come by on breast health, cancer and myths from Megan Smith, maker of the documentary "bOObs: The War on Women’s Breasts." The documentary "investigates the controversy swirling around the breast cancer screening test mammography. Over a 30-year per ... Show More
37m 49s
Jul 2022
L'histoire du décolleté
Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour ! Aujourd’hui on va parler mode parce la mode fait aussi parti de l’Histoire. Alors je sens déjà tous les petits pervers qui ont cliqué sur le podcast en mode “Chouette chouette, on va parler seins !”. Alors certes on va peut-être parler de qu ... Show More
23m 39s