Large animal tooth in pink and blue silk bag to cure toothache, Exeter, England, 1901-1910

Made:
1901-1910 in Exeter
Large tooth, possibly dogs, in pink and blue silk bag, amuletic Group shot of A132541 - Large tooth, possibly dogs

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Large tooth, possibly dogs, in pink and blue silk bag, amuletic
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Group shot of A132541 - Large tooth, possibly dogs
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Large tooth, possibly dogs, in pink and blue silk bag, amuletic, to cure toothache, Lovett collection, from Exeter, English, 1901-1910

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, this animal tooth was carried in a pink and blue bag in order to cure toothache. It was hoped that the pain would be transferred from the person to the tooth. It wasn’t always an animal tooth that was used; it was not unknown for a human tooth to be taken out of a skull from the local churchyard to perform the same function.

The tooth 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 other amulets for toothache: a large animal tooth (A132477), two stones (A123503 and A132474) and a triple hazelnut (A132536).

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A132541
Materials:
tooth, silk and paper
Measurements:
overall: 33 mm x 35 mm x 17 mm,
bag: 53 mm x 52 mm,
type:
tooth
credit:
Lovett, E.R.

Parts

Large animal tooth to cure toothache, Exeter, England, 1901-1910

Large animal tooth to cure toothache, Exeter, England, 1901-1910

Large tooth, possibly dog's, amuletic, to cure toothache, Lovett collection, from Exeter, English, 1901-1910

Materials:
tooth
Object Number:
A132541/1
type:
tooth
Pink and blue silk bag to hold an amulet, Exeter, England, 1901-1910

Pink and blue silk bag to hold an amulet, Exeter, England, 1901-1910

Pink and blue silk bag to hold a large tooth, possibly dog's, amuletic, to cure toothache, Lovett collection, from Exeter, English, 1901-1910

Measurements:
overall: 33 mm x 35 mm x 17 mm,
Materials:
blue , pink , silk , paper and complete
Object Number:
A132541/2
type:
bag