Killed by an 'itch' and the 'King's Evil': The bizarre causes of death in 17th century London revealed in new Royal Society exhibition

Pathology has come a long way in 400 years, but it had to start somewhere.

A table of the causes of death of 17th century Londoners includes 'frighted', 'grief' and, bizarrely, 'itch'. 

John Graunt's 1679 work on medical statistics, with the unwieldy title Natural And Political Observations Mentioned In A Following INDEX And Made Upon The Bills Of Mortality, has gone on public display for the first time.

Bills of Mortality were weekly lists of deaths in the City of London.    More Read