Discover specimens, samples and drugs from across the world from the 14th century right up to today.
Materia Medica & Pharmacology
1901-1920
brown glass bottle containing aletris cordial (sometimes known as 'Mother's cordial'), uterine tonic prepared by Rio Chemical Co. bottle and contents from U.S.A., 1901 to 1920
1950-1960
Bottle of Fennings Fever Mixture, cost 1/6d, by Alfred Fennings, 1950-1960
1970-1981
1 packet of Bal Sathi children's capillary by Vaidya Jagannath G Diuivedi, 1970-1981
1777-1785
Bag for cinchona bark, known as a Seron, rawhide, brought from Peru, by the expedition of Ruiz and Pavon, 1777, with contents
c2010
‘Super sex cap merpati’ herbal capsules sachet ‘for women only’ to enhance female sexual function, purchased in Ghana, unknown manufacturer, c2010.
Plastic bottle of Kushta Qal'al powder in box with instructions by Hamdard Dawakhana (Waqf) Pakistan, 1970-1981
1999
THALOMID (TM) (thalidomide) in blister pack marketed for use in treating leprosy, HIV infection and some cancers under strictly controlled conditions.
1907
Field medical kit in leather wallet, by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., English used by Sir Ernest Shackleton, 1907
‘Man & Woman Cream’ herbal cream to enhance sexual function, purchased in Ghana, unknown manufacturer, c2010.
1958-1962
2 metal containers, each containing 12x100mg of Distaval Forte tablets (thalidomide), by The Distillers Co. Ltd., 1958-1962
1940-1970
1x12 boxes, in pack, of Fennings Little Healers, cost 1/6d, by Alfred Fennings, 1940-1970
1901-1930
Bottle of quinine hydrochloride tablets, by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., London, 1901-1930
1903-1950
Glass dispensing bottle with glass stopper for 'Veronal' brand powdered diethylbarbituric acid, with traces remaining. 96 mm x 45 mm, .11 kg. Made by Bayer Product Limited, German, 1903-1950.
1880-1940
Glass bottle with cork stopper for Tabloid brand Opium Tincture (laudanum) tablets, now empty. 76 mm x 34 mm x 23 mm, .03kg. Made by Burroughs Wellcome, English, second half 19th century.
1928-1930
Head dressing in a cardboard box printed with the inscription "Tabloid' brand adjustable head dressing compressed'. Stored inside the First aid kit used by Rear Admiral R.E. Byrd on exploration flight to the Antarctic, 1930, made by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., United States, 1928-1930
Super Generation Love pills (faux herbal Viagra) to enhance male sexual function, purchased in Ghana, made by America Partner Biotechnology Co Ltd, c2010. Apparently contains Oryzanol, Strychnine, L-dopa etc.
1901-1940
A green glass bottle with a metal foil cap containing Apenta aperient water, Hungarian, 1900-1940
1975-1980
Larzine, Unani medicine for malaria, one of a selection of drugs and related material from India, 1975-1980.
1 packet Bal Jivan Vhamcho [Chamcho], baby tonic with instructions, and spoon 1970-1981
1890-1900
Packet of quinine powder, as sold in post offices in India, 1890-1900
Carton for Binger surma by Hamdard Dawakhana (Waqf), 1970-1981
1920-1940
Carton of throat pastilles, by Allen and Hanburys, Ltd., London, 1920-1940
1820
Original preparation of quinine by Pelletier and Caveton, 1820
1750-1830
Glass bottle one third full of unidentified white powder. Body of the bottle roughly oblong in shape, and made from transparent and colourless glass. Sealed with metal screw cap. Stored within the top compartment of a medicine chest that belonged to Edward Jenner, c. 1780
1937-1938
Metal 'Tabloid" medicine chest with lock, style 260, supplied to 1938 Everest Expedition, prepared by Burroughs Wellcome and Co. (The Wellcome Foundation Ltd.), London 1937-1938
3 metal containers, each containing 25 tablets of Tensival (contains thalidomide), by The Distillers Company Ltd., 1958-1962
1980-1986
Plastic container, for 500 x 10mg Propranolol (propranolol hydrochloride) tablets, by Evans Medical Ltd., Greenford, England, 1980-1986. Evans Medical Ltd., is part of the part of the Glaxo Group.
1860-1920
Glass jar, stoppered, containing tragacanth gum from Turkey
1 x 24 x 75mg pack of Junior Disprin tablets (12 tablets remaining) to be dissolved in child's drink, by Reckitt and Colman, 1980-1987
1998
Carton of four Viagra (Sildenafil citrate) tablets, 50mg, with instructions, by Pfizer Limited, Sandwich, Kent, c. 1998. Anti-impotence drug which created a media storm in 1998.
1810-1840
Original preparation of quinine acetate by Pelletier, 1810-1840
1920-1960
Bottle containing De Witt's kidney and bladder pills, prepared by E. C. De Witt and Co. Ltd., Croydon, 1920-1960
1x250 display pack of Fennings' children's cooling powders, by Alfred Fennings, 1940-1970
1880-1930
Blue box and empty dummy, 20fl.oz glass bottle of "Kepler" Cod Liver Oil, with malt extract and hypophosphites, by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., 1880-1930
1900-1950
One of two round pill boxes of Dr John Hooper's Female Pills, by John Hooper, 1900-1950
1562-1566
Medicine chest, large, leather covered, probably made for Vincenzo Guistiniani, Genoese Governor of between 1562 and 1566
1801-1900
Carton for "Trilene" tablets
1949
1x50 bottle of penicillin lozenges, calcium salt (benzylpenicillin sodium?), by Burroughs Wellcome, 1949
1955-1975
2 packets of Cephos powders, for headaches, nerves and colds, by The Cephos Co. St. Helens, 1955-1975
1850-1920
Bottle of Dr Williams "Pink Pills", by G.T. Fulford Co. Ltd. (of Canada), proprietors of the Dr. Williams Medicine Co., London, 1850-1920
1905-1940
Green glass bottle with crown cap containing Braceborough Spa water, English, 1905-1940
Box for shafi gonorrhea medicine with instructions by Hamdard Dawakhana (Waqf), Pakistan, 1970-1981
1941-1950
Display card with six boxes of White's Black Crow Cold Pills mounted, aids relief of symptoms of common cold, by First National Laboratories Inc., U.S.A., 1941-1950
32 quinine pills in circular cardboard box with lid, Savory & Moore Ltd, inscribed '2 grains in each'
1720-1800
Sheraton medicine chest, with 32 glass bottles, 14 labelled, hand balance, 13 weights, wooden box, watch glass, a piece of leather and 6 pottery jars, 18th century
1939
Tabloid first aid super pocket kit by Burroughs Wellcome & Co (USA) Inc, used by Finn Ronne on U.S. Antarctic expedition of 1939-1941.
1979-1981
Metal container, empty, used for Broxil oral penicillin tablets, made by Beecham Research Laboratories, Brentford, 197[-]-198[-]
1838-1870
Specimens of cinchona micrantha bark, of English commerce, 1838, in glazed case, probably from Peru, Howard collection
Sponge from 'Tabloid' first aid kit, used on Alcock and Brown's first transatlantic non-stop flight.
Box, pewter, for unguento da gambe, ointment for legs
