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‘Scotch Fiddle’, 1830

© 2021 Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Description

Hand coloured etching entitled ‘Scotch Fiddle’, drawn by Joe Lisle and published by S. Gans, Southampton Street in 1830.

The scene is set inside an apothecary’s shop. A surprised looking apothecary or chemist and druggist stands behind the counter, serving a shifty looking male customer wearing a Scottish bonnet cap and tartan trousers. The caption below reads; “Please Docktar to gee me a Baubee’s worth o’Brimstone _ it’s no for mysel but for anither Gentleman thats outside”.

Brimstone is an alternative name for sulphur. It was needed to make high quality black gunpowder. The caricature depicts in some detail the public interior of an early 1800s apothecary’s shop. The shop has carboys and drug jars on display in the windows.

Behind the counter is a labelled drug run (a set of drawers for storing medicinal ingredients) and labelled drug jars (for storing prepared medicines). On and in front of the counter are pestle and mortars. The apothecary holds a plaster iron in his hand and is in the process