' "To be had for a pesthouse for the use of this parish": plague pesthouses in early Stuart London, c. 1600-1650'.

The article reviews recent periodical literature on early modern and eighteenth-century social history in England, focusing on topics such as demographics, gender roles, public health, hereditary disease, and urban development. Studies include a demographic analysis of the Isle of Thanet using parish registers, an exploration of why women were disproportionately accused of witchcraft linked to their work and social interactions, and an examination of plague pest houses in early Stuart London highlighting their limited use and social implications. Additionally, it discusses the cultural perception of hereditary scrofula in eighteenth-century England as a disease associated with upper-class moral failings, and traces the transformation of the lower Ouseburn area near Newcastle from a ballast dumping site to an industrial suburb. These works collectively illustrate the complexities of social, medical, and urban history through detailed case studies and diverse sources.