Cranium Hominis, c1745-1807

Description

Glass specie jar containing three pieces of human skull. From the Burges Collection.

Text on paper contents label reads ‘Catal. mat. med. p. 126. No. 52. Cranium Hominis.’

Powdered it was used to treat epilepsy. Pomet, in his Compleat History of Druggs, says that ‘Man’s Skull is a specifick Medicine in the Cure of the Falling-Sickness, and indeed of most Diseases of the Head, taking of the crude Powder, rasp’d from the fresh Bone of the Skull, one Scruple or two, in any proper spirituous Liquor. The Oil and volatile Salt are for the same Purposes, but in less Quantities.’