this is bbc news, the headlines: president biden has called for the banning of assault weapons and high—capacity magazines in the wake of a mass shooting at a texas primary school, last week. other measures proposed included raising the age at which guns can be purchased and putting in place tougher background checks for gun buyers. buckingham palace has announced that queen elizabeth will miss friday's national service of thanksgiving at st paul's cathedral in london, marking her platinum jubilee. a statement said the 96—year—old monarch had greatly enjoyed thursday's birthday parade and flypast at the palace, but experienced some discomfort. on the eve of the 100th day of russia's invasion of ukraine president zelensky has said moscow has seized about

a fifth of his country, and up to a hundred ukrainian soldiers were dying each day. people from all over the uk and around the world, are in london to celebrate the queen's platinum jubilee. the bbc�*s reeta chakrabarti joined the crowds on the mall to watch the first day's events. she spoke to some of the spectators. it was ten deep on the mall as people gathered to watch the parade. those at the back couldn't really see much. but that seemed to bother absolutely no one. it's incredible. i've never seen it like this, and itjust really feels like a very special occasion. we're delighted to be here. you can't see very much from back here. do you know what's actually really helpful?

all of the cameras in front of us. we've been getting some quite good shots of what's going on anyways. some people have travelled thousands of miles to be here. you came from canada? yeah. oh, my goodness! specifically for this? specifically for this. her majesty's platinum jubilee. we came here ten years ago for the diamond jubilee. extraordinary. thank you. and why, why have you come all this way? because her majesty the queen has been faithfully serving us and the commonwealth for the last 70 years. "claire was there." yeah. claire, why are you here? well, i think it's a very special occasion. we're never going to see this again, are we, really? not with our queen, bless her. and ijust feel it's very special, and you've got to be part of the atmosphere. for others, this was the tonic needed after the last long two years. incredibly proud to be part of this, and this sense of togetherness, which we haven't really felt in a long time, especially due to the pandemic.

it's really special. and why are you here? oh, i'm here celebrating the occasion. you know, it's nice bringing communities together. and we're all here. you know, that's why i'm here. where have you come from today? all the way from, you know, southport, england's classic resort. so, yeah, just soaking it all up, making the most of it. we were just chatting, and you were saying you thought these days are very special for a particular reason. just tell me again. ijust think it's great that all the good things about our country are exhibited today. cos, like, all the people come out, and there's a sense of togetherness and it's just a great event. i was here 20 years ago, it's just great to be here again. it's the atmosphere... it's the atmosphere, the sense of community all together, all for the country and for the queen. it's great. you sounded emotional. i am a little bit! now on bbc news, a special

edition of witness history, with five extraordinary stories on the history of health. hello and welcome to witness history with me, pumza fihlani injohannesburg. we will get in johannesburg. we will get first—hand injohannesburg. we will get first—hand account from five important moments in the history of healthcare. coming up, how in the 1970s chinese scientists use an ancient herbal remedy to find a cure for malaria. the german psychiatrist who first identified alzheimer disease and pakistan's angel of mercy whose charity provides charity to millions. but we start in south africa where in the late 19905, south africa where in the late 1990s, cases of hiv and aids sold. 11998 almost 3 million

south africans were infected and aids was leading cause of death in the country. yet antiretrovirals drugs were too expensive for all but the richest south africans. activist began a long campaign for the right to import and use cheaper versions of the vital drugs. building confidence is a white ritual here. aids feels like clockwork. it is a production line of death. from the mid-19 — production line of death. from the mid-19 90s, _ production line of death. from the mid-19 90s, hiv - production line of death. from the mid-19 90s, hiv in - production line of death. from the mid-19 90s, hiv in south | the mid—19 90s, hiv in south africa exploded. at one point, about 1000 hiv related deaths every single date so it was a catastrophe, it really was. azidothymidine was a first drug to work— azidothymidine was a first drug to work against aids. in azidothymidine was a first drug to work against aids.— to work against aids. in the middle of — to work against aids. in the middle of the _ to work against aids. in the middle of the 1990s - to work against aids. in the middle of the 1990s a - to work against aids. in the middle of the 1990s a class| to work against aids. in the l middle of the 1990s a class of medicines become available which could stop people dying of aids. we saw what they were doing at other countries in the world they were too expensive so they held out this hope but this hope was something we

could not reach and the deaths continue. so in 1997, the government put in a law and the aim of this amendment was to give government more power to make medicines more affordable. many of these children have been — many of these children have been offered by aids and in this soweto hospice, others are hiv virus — this soweto hospice, others are hiv virus. it this soweto hospice, others are hiv virus. , this soweto hospice, others are hiv vim-— hiv virus. it is intended to help many _ hiv virus. it is intended to help many children - hiv virus. it is intended to help many children like i hiv virus. it is intended to - help many children like these, the government says it wants to import cheaper generic versions of well—known drugs but the pharmaceutical company says that threatens their patterns and an dangers new research. 0fficers and an dangers new research. officers and as governments introduce this new law, 39 very powerful pharmaceutical companies went to court to stop this law from being passed. instead of simply copying our drug, why don't they innovate the next range of hiv medicine and do it, quicker, faster, and cheaper than us. clearly it is not that easy.—

cheaper than us. clearly it is not that easy. for three years the law was — not that easy. for three years the law was stuck _ not that easy. for three years the law was stuck because - not that easy. for three years the law was stuck because of| the law was stuck because of this legal action. when we formed the treatment action campaign, we decided to get our lawyers tojoin the campaign, we decided to get our lawyers to join the south african government in its effort to bring this law into force and we were successful. the world is largest pharmaceutical companies bowed to heavy pressure. tote pharmaceutical companies bowed to heavy pressure.— to heavy pressure. we thought we had won- — to heavy pressure. we thought we had won. unfortunately, i to heavy pressure. we thought| we had won. unfortunately, our government had a different idea because our president had begun questioning whether hiv cause aids. it questioning whether hiv cause aids. , aids. it is the - misunderstanding about aids. it is the _ misunderstanding about the science. 50 misunderstanding about the science. , ., .,~ science. so they did not make these drugs — science. so they did not make these drugs available - science. so they did not make these drugs available even . these drugs available even though they can now afford to make the drugs available through the public health service at the victory was almost nullified and our struggle had to continue. six months later we were back on the streets, we were

protesting, we had to launch a new court case, this time against our government, over the question of access to drugs that prevent mother to child hiv transmission. intervention was so simple and cheap... aha, was so simple and cheap... single tablet can save children from hiv. it single tablet can save children from hiv-— from hiv. it was as simple as this, to prevent _ from hiv. it was as simple as this, to prevent a _ from hiv. it was as simple as this, to prevent a new - from hiv. it was as simple as this, to prevent a new hiv . this, to prevent a new hiv infection and save a life. in july of 2002, the constitutional court ordered the government to supply these medicines to pregnant women who had hiv. , , , ., medicines to pregnant women who had hiv. , ,, ., ., ., had hiv. the steps that have to be taken to _ had hiv. the steps that have to be taken to comply _ had hiv. the steps that have to be taken to comply with - had hiv. the steps that have to be taken to comply with the - be taken to comply with the order we may, should be taken without delay. it order we may, should be taken without delay.— without delay. it was another ve , without delay. it was another very. very — without delay. it was another very, very emotional- without delay. it was another| very, very emotional moment without delay. it was another- very, very emotional moment and after we won, we were in a stronger position to say these medicines should be made available to any person who had hiv or aids in our country, to save their lives as well stop 20 years later, and i can say

to you, that our struggle probably saved 5 million lives because today 5.5 million people have axis to antiretrovirals medicines and we can put that down to the struggles we waged in those years to make this a right for all people. now, to china, where in the 1970s, the antimalarial drug was developed by a small team of scientists. 0ne by a small team of scientists. one of the scientist spoke to witness history about the breakthrough. 0ne witness history about the breakthrough. one of man does make mortal enemies, 90% of all malaria cases are in africa in the americas and in africa it has re—emerged in drug resistant form. translation: into the 1960s and early 70s, there was a serious outbreak of

malaria. the drug available at the time had already weakened resistance. chairman mao said the population of china has survived for thousands of years relying on traditional chinese medicine. he said there must be chinese cure for malaria and told us to find it. could a drug based on an ancient chinese herbal medicine really defeat malaria? in chinese herbal medicine really defeat malaria?— defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas assiuned defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas assigned to — defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas assigned to research - defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas assigned to research a - defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas assigned to research a cure i defeat malaria? in 1969, iwas| assigned to research a cure for malaria and a great chemist was our leader. i malaria and a great chemist was our leader-— our leader. i had malaria m self our leader. i had malaria myself when _ our leader. i had malaria myself when i _ our leader. i had malaria myself when i was - our leader. i had malaria myself when i was a - our leader. i had malaria i myself when i was a child. our leader. i had malaria - myself when i was a child. it makes you feel really cold, your body chivas and then you get a fever and a terrible headache. —— your body chivas.

there was no money for this research because the whole country had economic problems. most of our equipment was old. we only had a few basics like test tubes and bottles. we had made a list of the chinese herbal medicine for treating malaria recorded in books and falkland. we tested over and over again until our focus was drawn to just the one, and we knew it was relatively effective but it was inconsistent so we had to work out why. we had a breakthrough. she went back to ancient texts and found a description in a medical handbook. it is hundreds of years old and he said, take a handful of sweet wormwood, immerse in water,

ring up thejuice wormwood, immerse in water, ring up the juice and wormwood, immerse in water, ring up thejuice and drink it. this cavity idea to try a code method of extracting the medicinal properties from the plant. we contacted 190 experiments using this plant and it was the 191st that worked. we could not believe our eyes. everyone was so excited all our hard work had finally paid off. she said i am the leader of the team and i should be the first to try this. i also volunteered. we should not expect other people to test when it is dangerous. we tested the drug over several days and the result was we all felt fine. there were no side effects except the appeal itself do not taste very nice.

this 11—year—old boy has the disease and given his first dose. the next morning, the drug has worked. translation: aha, drug has worked. translation: gift from traditional chinese medicine, it saved millions of lives all over the world. next, to pakistan — lives all over the world. next, to pakistan where _ lives all over the world. next, to pakistan where in - lives all over the world. next, to pakistan where in the - lives all over the world. next, | to pakistan where in the 1950s, abdul sattar edhi opened a small dispensary and karachi, giving away free medication. his wife shared his passion for charity and together they opened more than 300 health clinics, trained thousands of nurses and set up a nationwide ambulance service. bilquis edhi remembers the moment she first met her husband when she was training to come a nurse. ——

become. abdul sattar edhi it is perhaps pakistan? most respected figure. for some he is nothing less than a saint. the last 50 years he has dedicated his life to helping others. translation: it is everyone's _ others. translation: it 3 everyone's responsibility to take care of others, that is what being un means. translation: he what being un means. translation:- what being un means. translation: ., , ., , translation: he was a very good man, he translation: he was a very good man. he used _ translation: he was a very good man, he used to _ translation: he was a very good man, he used to say, _ translation: he was a very good man, he used to say, there - translation: he was a very good man, he used to say, there is - man, he used to say, there is no greater religion than humanity. no greater religion than humanity-— no greater religion than humani . ., ., ., humanity. the foundation he started is — humanity. the foundation he started is now _ humanity. the foundation he started is now one _ humanity. the foundation he started is now one of - humanity. the foundation he started is now one of the - started is now one of the biggest welfare organisations anywhere in the world. translation: i anywhere in the world. translation:- anywhere in the world. translation: , translation: i first met him when i translation: i first met him when i was — translation: i first met him when i was studying _ translation: i first met him when i was studying to - translation: i first met him when i was studying to be - translation: i first met him when i was studying to be a l when i was studying to be a nurse. pakistan was still a new country than and that were very few medical facilities. country than and that were very few medicalfacilities. it country than and that were very few medical facilities. it was on this very spot that abdul

sattar edhi set up his first pharmacy, dispensing free medication. later it grew to a clinic. my mother wanted me to be a doctor but that required to my studying for me. i loved nursing. originally, edhi wanted to marry our head nurse and then he proposed to me and i did not refuse. no—one thought the marriage would work because he was so much older than me. everyone said it would only last a couple of months. but we have been together for more than 50 years together. when we got married, we only had one ambulance that we would go out to attend patients or bring them back here. once the word got out that we were helping people, more started to arrive. we had to build an extension in the clinic to

manage. edhi was shocked that some doctors would only teach people from their own communities. he would say if a christian or hindu comes here for help, give them more respect than you would for one of your own, and when we have their religious festivals was done with them and celebrate their happiness was to play christmas, i send them suites or cakes and gifts, and all our hindu colleagues are given days of to celebrate diwali, holi, wejoin in and share the of to celebrate diwali, holi, we join in and share the fun. of to celebrate diwali, holi, wejoin in and share the fun. a lot of people would criticise edhi for that, lot of people would criticise edhi forthat, but lot of people would criticise edhi for that, but he would say opposition and criticism is important. negativity shows us the right way forward. now we've got about 300 health centres. we try and spread out our ambulance station so that our ambulance station so that our ambulance station so that our ambulance crews can get the patients quickly. edhi was also passionate about children. we set up orphanages and a safe way for young women to leave a

baby if she can't keep it. girls get pregnant and need our help. human beings do make mistakes. i do worry that while challenges like the edhi foundation do the work, the government won't take responsibility for health care. it is bad luck that we have never had a good government, but our country is good. my husband inspired others to donate to charity. they saw his good work and wanted to help. he had true intentions, and when he thought we could do no more, god helped us to keep going. edhi said everything is in this world. if you do good deeds, then that is heaven. i think that's why he was always so happy.

sadly, bilquis edhi, who was known as the mother of orphans for her role in saving thousands of abandoned children in pakistan, died in april 2022. remember, you can watch witness history every month on bbc news channel, or you can catch up on all our other films, as well as more than 1000 radio programmes in our online archive. next, in 1901, the german psychologist dr ellis out sima treated a 51—year—old woman who had developed a type of dementia. the illness he discovered became known as alzheimer's disease. spoke to professor conrad mara who first discovered dr out sima's original long last case files.

a la result sima, he was a doctor, a physician in the psychiatric hospital in frankfurt in 1888, and he was obsessed, you know, from the idea that psychiatric diseases are like other diseases, are diseases of the body, in this case of the brain, and i have to find a case where i can prove this. in the first case, actually, was augusta detail. she was 51. she was a normal housewife. suddenly out of the sky in 1901, she gotjealous, and then she got forgetful, and was also very loud, and cried. alois out sima said, that is my case. he wrote a very detailed case. he wrote a very detailed case history how who saw al

augusta for the first time, but this case i was lost and nobody knew where it could be. we went into the archive and suddenly we found this file laying somewhere, and that was the file of augusta dieter. the file of augusta dieter. the file must have led therefore 70 years or more and nobody detected it. and it was a wonderfulfeeling detected it. and it was a wonderful feeling to have this file in our hands. all his questions are documented by himself within this file, with his handwriting. "she sits on the bed with a helpless expression". what is your name? auguste deter. what is your husband's name? auguste deter, i think. she looks as if she

didn't understand the question. i show her a pencil, a didn't understand the question. ishow her a pencil, a pen, a purse, key, diary and cigar are identified correctly. when she has to write mrs auguste deter, she writes misses, and we must repeat the other words because she forgets them. the patient is not able to progress in writing, and repeats, "i have lost myself". she lived very, very long, about five years, or even more, was kept very long in the hospital, and when she died, the brain had been examined immediately after her death. alzheimer did many, many slices, and we can still look through the microscope and sea, and that is the most important sign, orwhat and that is the most important sign, or what he found within the brain of auguste deter, the reason of this disease, of this

dementia is the deposition of clerks and neuro fibrils. we still think this is the reason for the disease. unfortunately, we have many, many affected persons worldwide, and we did not yet find the corresponding therapy. but we hope that in therapy. but we hope that in the following years, this will take place. the following years, this will take place-— the following years, this will take place. professor conrad mara there _ take place. professor conrad mara there on _ take place. professor conrad mara there on the _ take place. professor conrad mara there on the first - take place. professor conrad i mara there on the first patient to be diagnosed with alzheimer's. we end off in post—world war second — war britain, where its work in curing the common cold. people came here, were given food, accommodation, even pocket money, many volunteers regarded it as a holiday and came back

year after year. witness history spoke to professor nigel demic, who worked at the unit. ., , , . ., unit. the unique aspect of the common cold _ unit. the unique aspect of the common cold unit _ unit. the unique aspect of the common cold unit was - unit. the unique aspect of the common cold unit was the - common cold unit was the volunteer setup. they had come to catch a cold. it's a crazy thing really, but people dead. let's have you back on the bed full stop so this is the virus, then, and we are going to put it into your nose. it did give us the ability to study a virus in its natural host, and this is still a very rare thing. the common cold unit was set up by the medical research council, after the second world war, to try and discover the cause of the common cold. because the number of working hours lost three people catching colds and taking time off was enormous, in terms of the productivity of

the nation as a whole. the common cold unit advertised for people to come there, in a voluntary stasis. they were only paid pocket money and rail fare and there keep while they were there, and they lived at salisbury for about ten days. these bright young people are starting — these bright young people are starting a holiday at government expense. so they would come — government expense. so they would come and _ government expense. so they would come and be _ government expense. so they would come and be divided i government expense. so theyj would come and be divided up into two sets cover those that were infected, and those which got a placebo, so it was a good deal, because the chances of getting a cold were pretty slim. they could read, they could play chess, they could study wild flowers, they could practice the violin, they could rate their novel, and believe me, people did all these things, and many much stranger! they have all different motivations. - they have all different motivations. some - they have all different - motivations. some students they have all different _ motivations. some students come for studying, — motivations. some students come for studying, and _ motivations. some students come for studying, and we _ motivations. some students come for studying, and we have - motivations. some students come for studying, and we have a - for studying, and we have a large — for studying, and we have a large body— for studying, and we have a large body of— for studying, and we have a large body of housewives . for studying, and we have a . large body of housewives who 'ust large body of housewives who just come _ large body of housewives who just come for— large body of housewives who just come for a _ large body of housewives who just come for a great- large body of housewives who just come for a great rest. - just come for a great rest. yes, _

just come for a great rest. yes. it's— just come for a great rest. yes. it's my— just come for a great rest. yes, it's my third - just come for a great rest. yes, it's my third visit. - just come for a great rest. yes, it's my third visit. iti just come for a great rest. | yes, it's my third visit. it is a very— yes, it's my third visit. it is a very relaxing holiday. people dead meat. — a very relaxing holiday. people dead meat, and _ a very relaxing holiday. people dead meat, and there - a very relaxing holiday. people dead meat, and there are - a very relaxing holiday. peoplel dead meat, and there are these lovely stories of these romances. people could talk to each other, but they had to stay ten yards apart can you know. ten yards was the magic distance over which the common cold virus couldn'tjump. cold virus couldn't jump. 18,000 cold virus couldn'tjump. 18,000 volunteers are now believed to have spent time in isolation — believed to have spent time in isolation at the unit, but a cold — isolation at the unit, but a cold cure _ isolation at the unit, but a cold cure remains elusive. about _ cold cure remains elusive. about the time that ijoined about the time that i joined the unit, they discovered how to grow the virus in cell culture, and then the science took off. it turned out that there wasn't one common cold virus, but hundreds of them, and that makes vaccines very difficult. red certain myths were tested as well, for instance if you went out in the cold, particularly in the rain in the cold, this predisposed you to catching colds. there was no evidence at all that any

of these things affected the instance of a cold. in the end, the common cold unit was closed for economic reasons. i think it was a big loss, scientifically, and because of the volunteer setup, such facilities are very valuable, and there are very few of them. a little squirt into each nostrit _ a little squirt into each nostril. pt a little squirt into each nostril. �* . ., a little squirt into each nostril-— a little squirt into each nostril. �* . ., ., nostril. a cure for the common cold? peeple _ nostril. a cure for the common cold? people are _ nostril. a cure for the common cold? people are looking - nostril. a cure for the common cold? people are looking still. | cold? people are looking still. commercially, it is still a very attractive opposition. nobody has yet managed to find one, but we will always be optimistic.— one, but we will always be optimistic. professor nigel demic on _ optimistic. professor nigel demic on why _ optimistic. professor nigel demic on why thousands . optimistic. professor nigel. demic on why thousands went optimistic. professor nigel- demic on why thousands went on holiday to catch a cold. and thatis holiday to catch a cold. and that is all for this special edition of witness history from here injohannesburg. we will be back soon with more first—hand accounts of extraordinary moments in history, but for now, from me and the rest of the witness history team, it's goodbye.

hello. i think, overall, the weather is looking pretty good for most of us, most of the time, over the next two or three days. however, there is certainly some rain in the forecast, and through the early hours, you can see it across the northwest of england, just about into southern wales, and a few showers in northern ireland, too. these are the morning temperatures, around 8am. now, through the afternoon on friday, we are expecting further showers to continue here in the northwest of the uk, but also showers will develop during the afternoon, across parts of wales and the midlands. some of them could be heavy and thundery, through this zone here. elsewhere, we're in for a bright day — 22 in london, 20 in western

scotland, but a lot fresher there on the north sea coast. now, saturday and sunday is going to be quite mixed. i think showers expected across the south of the uk on saturday, and then sunday, further north.

welcome to bbc news. i'm chris rogers. our top stories: president biden addresses the american people, saying something has to be done about the country's shocking level of gun violence. for god's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept? how many more innocent american lives must be taken before we say enough, enough? in front of a crowd of thousands, the queen takes the salute from the balcony of buckingham palace, kickstarting four days of platinum jubilee celebrations. as ukraine approaches 100 days of war, president zelensky once again calls for more military help from western nations.