Amuletic stone for toothache, Lovett collection, from Exmouth, English, 1871- 1910

The growing influence of biomedicine in the 1800s did not necessarily replace established forms of treatment based on belief and superstition. What could be referred to as folk medicine – customs that often went back generations – continued to be practised. For example, tooth-shaped stones like the one in the foreground on the left were carried in pockets in the belief that they would prevent and cure toothache. It was hoped the pain of toothache would be transferred to the stone.

The stone was a gift to the Wellcome collections in 1916 from Edward Lovett (1852-1933), a collector of British amulets and charms. It is pictured here with four other amulets against toothache: two large animal teeth (A132477 and A132541), a grey stone (A132503), and a triple hazelnut (A132536).