'Tabloid' medicine chest used by Teddy Roosevelt in 1909

Opium is an addiciive painkiller that is now tightly controlled. However, its dangerous qualities have long been recognised and several laws passed in Britain and worldwide aimed at restricting its use. The International Opium Convention at The Hague in 1912 committed many countries including Britain to preventing trade in morphine, opium and cocaine.

Developed in 1732 by English doctor, Thomas Dover, his eponymous powder, had an enduring appeal for nearly 200 hundred years. The main ingredients of ipecacuanha, the root of a South American plant, and opium, induced sweating and acted as a pain-killer. When illness was thought to be caused by an imbalance of the body's four humours: blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm, action was taken to restore a person's own equilibrium. Colds were believed to be caused by an excess of phlegm, which could be removed by diet or by sweating.

Opium is an addictive painkiller that is now tightly controlled. However, its dangerous qualities have long been recognised and several laws passed in Britain and worldwide aimed at restricting its use. The International Opium Convention at The Hague in 1912 committed many countries including Britain to preventing trade in morphine, opium and cocaine.

This chest was given to Teddy (Theodore) Roosevelt (1858-1919), the 26th President of the United States. When Roosevelt’s presidential term ended in 1909, he went on safari to Africa to hunt game. He also brought back specimens for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC. As malaria was common in Africa, the case is full of quinine based anti-malaria products – many of which have been used.

Burroughs, Wellcome & Co gave ‘Tabloid’ medicine chests filled with the company’s products to influential people and high profile expeditions in a shrewd attempt to advertise their product.

To make transporting medicines easier, many preparations were dissolved in water or solutions of alcohol when they were needed.

To make transporting medicines easier, many preparations were dissolved in water or solutions of alcohol when they were needed.

Tightly packed to save space, this gauze unravels to 2.7 metres long. Treated with iodoform, an organic compound with antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, this bandage could help would healing.

Made from absorbent cotton, compresses are used to control bleeding and cover wounds temporarily.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', quinine based tablets were used as a preventaive measure against malaria or as a general treatment for fevers. It was also recommended to aid recovery from toothache.

Quinine tablets featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', quinine based tablets were used as a preventaive measure against malaria or as a general treatment for fevers. It was also recommended to aid recovery from toothache.

Quinine tablets featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

Bismuth subnitrate was advertised by its makers as being useful for treatment of stomach and intestinal illnesses including dysentery.

Empirin was Burroughs, Wellcome & Co's brand name for aspirin - itself a brand name for acetylsalicylic acid - a painkiller, and an anti-inflammtory. The maker's advertisied their medicine as 'more effective than aspirin.'

Digitalin from was used for heart conditions, excess fluid in the body causing swelling, pneumonia, and as an antidote to aconite. Extracted from foxglove leaves and seeds, digitalin is one of a number of compounds from the plant found across Europe, Asia and Africa.

Calomel is another name mercurous chloride and was used as a violent purgative for hundreds of years. Recommended for conditions including fevers, syphilis, cholera, diarrhoea, and vomiting.

It is unclear how the medicine got its name, but it did disguise the mercury content – which is dangerous to human health.

Calomel featured many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

Advertised as a stimulant and to relieve bloating or a build up of gas in the stomach and intestines, nerve pain, and chillblains, capiscum is a preparation made from peppers.

The letters USP refer to the United States Pharmacoepia. Each country used to sets and publish its own standards for medical preparations, but some are now shared globally.

Developed in 1839, by Irish pharmacist and chemist, Michael Donovan (1790-1876), this combination of arsenic and mercury iodide was used for skin treatments all over the world.

Arsenic and mercury are dangerous to human health and are no longer used in medical preparations.

Thymol is found in the thyme plant. It was used as a treatment for intestinal parasites or as a solution or lotion as a germicide. According to the publication Wellcome’s Medical Diary 1899, thymol was used in India for the treatment of hookworm (ancylostomiasis), which impacted may tea-workers working in Assam. Side effects could affect a person’s bowels so it was recommended to take another medication before and after the treatment.

Known also as mercury perchloride, this preparation was used as a powerful anti-infection treatment on the skin or internally as a treatment for syphilis or liver conditions.

‘Livingstone Rousers’ are named after the man who invented them – the explorer and missionary David Livingstone (1813-1873). Exploring and exploiting Africa’s lands meant Europeans encountered illnesses that they were unused to, such as malaria. Livingstone prepared a treatment from quinine, jalap (root of a Mexican and Brazilian plant), rhubarb and calomel (mercurous chloride) to combat fevers and malaria and to purge the body. His 1860 recipe for was made and marketed by Burroughs, Wellcome & Co, who included it in many of their medicine chests.

In his 1875 book ‘A popular account of Dr. Livingstone's expedition to the Zambesi and its tributaries : and of the discovery of Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa, 1858-1864, Livingstone wrote “they received from our men the name of “rousers” from their efficacy in rousing up those most prostrated.”

Bismuth subnitrate was advertised by its makers as being useful for treatment of stomach and intestinal illnesses including dysentery.

Made from a combination of strontium, sodium and ammonium salts, its makers, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co, advertised their sodium bromide compound for treatment of epilepsy.

Aconite is also known by names including monkshood and wolfbane. A tincture is a preparation that used alcohol as an ingredient. It's makers recommended using with caution as a sedative, to cause sweating, or to treat fevers and pain.

The letters USP refer to the United States Pharmacoepia. Each country used to set and publish its own standards for medical preparations, but some are now shared globally.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', potassium iodide was recommended as a treatment for syphilis or used in to treat rheumatism and poisoning by lead or mercury.

Calomel is another name mercurous chloride and was used as a violent purgative for hundreds of years. Recommended for conditions including fevers, syphilis, cholera, diarrhoea, and vomiting.

It is unclear how the medicine got its name, but it did disguise the mercury content – which is dangerous to human health.

Calomel featured many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

Trinitrin is another name for nitroglycerin. While more commonly associated with making explosives, nitroglycerin preparations are used to treat chest pain, including angina. Its makers also advertised it for epilepsy, sea-sickness, asthma and sciatica.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', Blaud pills were used as a treatment for low iron (anaemia) and was often used in combination with other treatments.

The name ‘Blaud’ comes from the medication’s developer Dr Pierre Blaud (1774-1858), who first published his recipe for potassium carbonate and ferrous sulphate in 1866.

In their advertising, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co claimed that their preparation of Blaud pills were the first time that both ingredients could be taken together successfully in one pill.

Blaud pills featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

Empirin was Burroughs, Wellcome & Co's brand name for aspirin - itself a brand name for acetylsalicylic acid - a painkiller, and an anti-inflammtory. The maker's advertisied their medicine as 'more effective than aspirin.'

Made from the roots of a South American plant, ipecacuanha was used as a treatment for stomach and intestinal conditions including dysentery. It acted by purging the body by vomiting and is sometimes still used after a suspected poisoning. A spray version mixed with win was also recommended in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis.

Unlike the other medicine bottles in Teddy Roosevelt's medicine chest, this bottle has a type-writer printed label for novaspirin - a form of aspirin used as a pain killer and anti-inflammatory.

Sodium bicarbonate was recommended for liver conditions such as hepatitis, as an antacid for an upset stomach or indigestion.

Unlike the other medicine bottles in Teddy Roosevelt's medicine chest, this bottle has a type-writer printed label for novaspirin - a form of aspirin used as a pain killer and anti-inflammatory.

Antifebrin was a brand name for a preparation used to reduce fevers and as a pain killer. Made from acetanilide, it was recommended for headaches, nerve pain and resulted in excessive sweating and sleep.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', Blaud pills were used as a treatment for low iron (anaemia) and was often used in combination with other treatments.

The name ‘Blaud’ comes from the medication’s developer Dr Pierre Blaud (1774-1858), who first published his recipe for potassium carbonate and ferrous sulphate in 1866.

In their advertising, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co claimed that their preparation of Blaud pills were the first time that both ingredients could be taken together successfully in one pill.

Blaud pills featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

When dissolved in water, potassium permanganate is a pink-purple colour. It's makers recommended drinking it dissolved in water for treating gonorrhoea and scurvy and as a disinfectant and antiseptic.

Antifebrin was a brand name for a preparation used to reduce fevers and as a pain killer. Made from acetanilide, it was recommended for headaches, nerve pain and resulted in excessive sweating and sleep.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', quinine based tablets were used as a preventaive measure against malaria or as a general treatment for fevers. It was also recommended to aid recovery from toothache.

Quinine tablets featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.

According to the maker's 1920s publication ''Tabloid': A brief medical guide for explorers, missionaries, travellers, colonists, planters and others', quinine based tablets were used as a preventaive measure against malaria or as a general treatment for fevers. It was also recommended to aid recovery from toothache.

Quinine tablets featured in many of the medicine chests developed by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co.