Exploring Medicines
Discover how a variety of medicinal preparations have been made through the centuries and the essential pharmaceutical equipment used.
Gum Lacca, c1745-1807
Glass jar containing one specimen of lac, a gummy secretion from the insect Tachardia lacca (Kerria lacca). From the Burges Collection. Text on paper labels ...
Herbarium, or Hortus Siccus of plant specimens collected by Dr John Bateman, 1718
This large herbarium, entitled ‘Hortus Siccus’, dates from 1718. The book contains medicinal plant specimens collected and preserved by Dr John Bateman. A herbarium is a ...
Hippopotamus Incisor Tusk, c1745-1807
Glass specie jar containing one suspended specimen of hippopotamus tooth. From the Burges Collection. Text on paper contents labels reads ‘Catal. Mat. Med. p. 113. No. 29’ ...
Human Blood (Burges Collection of Materia Medica, late 1700s)
This jar contains a sample of solidified human blood. It was used in medicine to treat a range of conditions including asthma, epilepsy, and stroke.
Human Remains (Burges Collection of Materia Medica, late 1700s)
The Burges Collection contains many medicinal ingredients derived from the human body. They include (from left to right): a roll of skin; a mummified jawbone ...
Human Skin (Burges Collection of Materia Medica, late 1700s)
This specimen of human skin is in the form of a rolled strip that could be worn either as a girdle to help with childbirth ...
Icthyocolla, c1745-1807
Glass specie jar, with wooden lid and paper labels, containing what appears to be a dried swim bladder from a sturgeon, known as isinglass or ‘...
Improved Aseptic Glass Nasal Douche, 20th Century
Glass nasal douche and accompanying cardboard packaging labelled ‘for the application of medicaments to the nasal passages’. Instructions for use on the rear of box. ...
Infusion Pot, 1945-1990
Doulton earthen ware infusion pot, with brown glaze. The base is stamped ‘DOULTON, LAMBETH’. Pots like this were used to extract the active ingredient from ...
Jaw of Sea Wolf (Burges Collection of Materia Medica, late 1700s)
The label on this specimen identifies it as the jaw of a wolf fish (Anarhichas lupus), ‘whose molar teeth are commonly called Toad Stones’. Toad ...