Madmen, Medicine, Death, & Disease

This guided tour through the historic Christ Church Burial Ground explores into the realities of life, death, and health in Colonial and Early America, exploring the interconnected themes of Madmen, Medicine, Death, and Disease. You will explore the resting places of multiple citizens and discover the stories of renowned medical pioneers who radically shaped early treatments for mulitple dieases and mental illness. The tour illuminates the era’s burial customs, the prevalent diseases that decimated city populations, and the often primitive, but foundational practices of medicine that defined life in 18th-century Philadelphia. It’s an immersive look at mortality and the dawn of modern medical science.