Drug jar for Water Germander electuary, England, 1720-1780

Made:
1720-1780 in England
Drug jar, tin glazed earthenware, song bird motif Drug jar, tin glazed earthenware, songbird motif

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Drug jar, tin glazed earthenware, song bird motif
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Drug jar, tin glazed earthenware, songbird motif
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Drug jar, tin glazed earthenware, song bird motif, used for water germander electuary, English, 1720-1780

This drug jar is labelled “DIASCORD”, an abbreviation of the full Latin name Diascodrium. This translates as “water germander”, which was a thick liquid medical preparation (known as an electuary) that had a similar consistency to honey. It contained a range of ingredients and existed in a variety of different recipes – some including opium. Among the conditions it was at times used to treat were diarrhoea, dysentery, plague, colic and fevers. It could induce sleep and was recommended for women during childbirth.

Drug jars have a number of different shapes, design motifs and decorative styles which can help date the objects. Although quite crude in design, the face of the winged cherub – a feature of numerous drug jars – is quite realistic. Elsewhere a songbird motif and peacock feathers can be seen.

Details

Category:
Medical Ceramic-ware
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A634405
Materials:
earthenware (tin glazed)
Measurements:
overall: 324 mm x 245 mm, 2.944 kg
type:
drug jar