'Livingstone' medicine chest covered in cow hide

Made:
1900-1910 in England
maker:
Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited
"Livingstone" medicine chest Left hand side - A700027, The Livingstone medicine chest

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"Livingstone" medicine chest
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Left hand side - A700027, The Livingstone medicine chest
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

The Livingstone medicine chest, wooden box covered with natural coloured cow hide. Contains glass bottles of 'Tabloid' brand medicines.

This battered medicine chest was taken by Algot Lane, a Swedish-American explorer, on his 1911 expedition to the Amazon jungle in Brazil. Lange wrote a book about his exploration of the area in 1912 called In the Amazon Jungle: Adventures in the Remote Areas of the Upper Amazon Basin. Unsurprisingly, the chest contains is a large amount of quinine to help prevent and treat malaria, which was common in that area.

The medicine chest was advertised as the ‘Livingstone’ chest after David Livingstone (1813-1873). It was made by Burroughs, Wellcome & Co, who provided medicine chests suitable for a wide range of expeditions – these were often provided free of charge for publicity reasons. It is pictured here with another ‘Livingstone’ medicine chest from the same expedition (A700016).

Details

Category:
Materia Medica & Pharmacology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A700027
Materials:
leather and glass
Measurements:
overall: 177.8 mm x 342.9 mm x 114.3 mm, 3.31kg
type:
medicine chest
credit:
Wellcome Trust

Parts

Bottle for 'Soda Mint' containing phials of hypodermic tablets

Bottle for 'Soda Mint' containing phials of hypodermic tablets

Glass bottle originally for Tabloid 'Soda Mint' containing 5 small phials of hypodermic tablets (cocaine hydrochloride, hyoscine hydrobromide, morphine sulphate, strychnine sulphate and digitalin). 80 mm x 20 mm diameter, 13 g. By Burroughs Wellcome and Co., English, 1900-1919.

Measurements:
overall: 80 mm 20 mm, 13g
Materials:
complete , glass , morphine sulphate , cork , cocaine hydrochloride , strychnine , hyoscine and digitalin
Object Number:
A700027/1
type:
bottle , morphine and cocaine
Bottle of 12 pills

Bottle of 12 pills

Stoppered glass bottle containing 12 compressed pills. Labelled as ''Tabloid' brand Blaud Pill Compound'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' 'Tabloid' Medicine Chest. By Burroughs Wellcome and Co., England, 1900-1919.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/2
type:
bottle
Bottle of compressed ipacauanha pills

Bottle of compressed ipacauanha pills

Stoppered glass bottle, 1/4 full of compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' Ipacauanha'. Found inside the Livingstone medicine chest. By Burroughs Wellcome and Co., England, 1900-1919.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/3
type:
bottle
Bottle of phenacetin compound pills

Bottle of phenacetin compound pills

Stoppered glass bottle, 1/3 full of compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' Phenacetin Compound (Phenacetin, Gr., 303 per ounce)'. Found in the Livingstone medicine chest. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/4
type:
bottle
Bottle of 'vegetable laxative' pills

Bottle of 'vegetable laxative' pills

Stoppered glass bottle 1/5 full of compressed pills. Labelled as ''Tabloid' brand Vegetable Laxative'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' 'Tabloid' Medicine Chest. By Burroughs Wellcome and Co., English, 1900-1919.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/5
type:
bottle
Compressed lint from 'Livingstone' medicine chest

Compressed lint from 'Livingstone' medicine chest

Piece of compressed lint, oblong shaped and wrapped with label reading "Tabloid' brand Pleated Compressed Lint'. Stored in The 'Livingstone' 'Tabloid' medicine chest. By Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England 1900-1910.

Materials:
fibre (unidentified) and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/6
type:
bandages
Paper package containing bandage strip

Paper package containing bandage strip

Cuboid paper package, labelled "Tabloid' Pleated Compressed Bandage 1 inch x 6 yards'. Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England 1900-1910.

Materials:
paper (fibre product) and textile
Object Number:
A700027/7
type:
bandage
Cylindrical container labelled 'Safety'

Cylindrical container labelled 'Safety'

Cylindrical metal container, possibly for safety pins. In two parts, with one half slotting over the other. Printed inscription on one side, reading 'Safety'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' medicine chest. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, 1900-1910.

Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
A700027/8
type:
container - receptacle
Caustic pencil

Caustic pencil

Wooden caustic pencil, in two parts that can be screwed together. One half hollow with tapered point, the other with a flat edged nib. Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
wood (unidentified) and metal (unknown)
Object Number:
A700027/9
type:
caustic pencil
Sterilisable metal box containing glass syringe

Sterilisable metal box containing glass syringe

Sterilisable metal box, containing glass syringe and metal trocar holder. There are no trocar or needle points included. Has a lid that slots over the bottom half, inscribed 'Casa Saldanha'. Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
metal (unknown) and glass
Object Number:
A700027/10
type:
box - container
Glass bottle containing "Soloid" potassium permanganate

Glass bottle containing "Soloid" potassium permanganate

Glass bottle, painted with an opaque bronze-coloured coating, containing an unknown substance. Labelled "Soloid' Potassium Permanganate (gr.5/0.324 gm.)' Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/11
type:
bottle
Glass bottle of compressed pills

Glass bottle of compressed pills

Round glass bottle with cork stopper, 1/6 full of compressed white pills. Labelled 'Tabloid' Calomel'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' 'Tabloid' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England 1900.

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/12
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing iron and arsenic compound pills

Glass bottle containing iron and arsenic compound pills

Stoppered glass bottle, 1/3 full of white pills. Labelled "Tabloid' brand Iron and Arsenic Compound'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' 'Tabloid' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Compay Limitted, England, 1900-1910

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/13
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing pills

Glass bottle containing pills

Stoppered glass bottle 1/4 full of brown compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' Quinine Bisulphate'. Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/14
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing white pills

Glass bottle containing white pills

Stoppered glass bottle 1/3 full of white compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' Ammonium Bromide gr. 5 (0.324 gm)'. Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/15
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing "Soloid" corrosive sublimate

Glass bottle containing "Soloid" corrosive sublimate

Stoppered glass bottle painted with red, opaque coating, containing unknown quantity or unknown substance. Labelled "Soloid' brand Corrosive Sublimate (Hydarg. Perchlor) gr. 7.3 (0.473 gm)' . Stored inside the Livingstone medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A700027/16
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing pills

Glass bottle containing pills

Stoppered glass bottle, 1/3 full of black compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' brand Cathartic Compound'. Strip of textile or rubber adhersive plaster adhered around the neck of the bottle. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass and rubber (unidentified)
Object Number:
A700027/17
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing pills

Glass bottle containing pills

Stoppered glass bottle, 4/5 full of white compressed pills. Labelled "Tabloid' brand Anti-febrin Compound'. There is a hand written inscription on the label reading 'for ginger extract'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/18
type:
bottle
Glass bottle containing codeine and benzoic acid pills

Glass bottle containing codeine and benzoic acid pills

Stoppered glass bottle, empty but with pink residue inside the bottle. Labelled "Tabloid' brand Codeine and Benzoic Acid Compound (Without cocaine) (Codeine, Gr. 4 1/2 per ounce)'. Hand written inscription on label reading 'l. q. h. for cough'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A700027/19
type:
bottle
Spool of rubber adhesive plaster, produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910

Spool of rubber adhesive plaster, produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910

Metal spool of rubber adhesive plaster. Flat and discoidal in shape, with red and gold labels adhered to both faces, reading 'Mead's Rubber Adhesive Plaster 10 yards'. Stored inside the 'Livingstone' medicine chest. Produced by Burroughs Wellcome and Company Limited, England, 1900-1910.

Materials:
metal (unknown) and rubber (unidentified)
Object Number:
A700027/20
type:
plaster