Dermatology and the Making of News in Victorian Britain

This book explores the representation of skin in Victorian-era British newspapers and periodicals, examining how the news coverage of dermatological subjects shaped journalistic practices, laying the foundations for the development of modern news values. Through rhetorical and stylistic analysis of news articles from the nineteenth century, the author investigates the relationship between emerging dermatological knowledge, social reform movements, and evolving journalistic storytelling techniques. The study reveals how skin-related reporting became a prevalent motif in Victorian media, addressing issues such as corporal punishment, poverty, occupational hazards, and the crystallisation of body image-related social norms. By analysing case studies on topics like flogging in the military, workhouse conditions, and occupational skin diseases, the book demonstrates how and why skin became newsworthy in Victorian Britain, and the implications of its ubiquity then for news reporting now.