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Unopened packet of Diarrhoea draughts

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1849-1900

Brown glass bottle of aspirin and opium tablets

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1950-1970

Pewter theriac container

Pharmacy-ware

1603

Square glass dispensing bottle with glass stopper and chamois covering, full of Aromatic Confection Powder (contains opium). 108 mm x 36 mm x 37 mm. Unknown maker, English, after 1849.

Bottle of Aromatic Confection Powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1849-1915

Bottle of 'Papine'

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1920-1950

Haemostatic set, London, England, 1871-1900

Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Contraception

1871-1900

Glass bottle with glass stopper for 'Cholera Drops' with traces of original contents remaining. 117 mm x 37 mm x 45 mm, 173g. Label reads, 'Cholera Drops/ A teaspoonful in a little/ water and repeat in an/ hour if required.' Bottle is dated to the 19th of August 1864. Dispensed by Decastro and Watson Chemists, English, 1864.

Bottle for Cholera Drops

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1864

Gutta percha tube for 1/2 gr. compressed Tabloid brand opium tablets, empty with possible traces remaining. 80 mm x 15 mm diameter. Interior of the tube is lined with wax paper and contains a small amount of cotton, possibly obscuring traces of opium. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., English, 1900-1910.

Gutta Percha tube for Opium tablets

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1900-1910

Black gutta percha tube for 5 gr. Tabloid brand Aromatic Chalk Powder with Opium tablets, with possible traces remaining. 89 mm x 19 mm diameter. Interior of the tube is lined with wax paper and contains a small amount of cotton, possibly obscuring traces of opium or remaining tablets. Made by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., English, 1900-1910.

Gutta percha tube of Aromatic Chalk Powder with Opium tablets

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1900-1910

Bottle for Dover Powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1937-1938

Tin carton of Gee's Linctus Pastilles BPC (contains opium tincture). 19 mm x 78 mm x 89 mm, 104 g. Made by Smith Kendon Ltd., 132 Borough High Street, London, SE1, England, 1950-1965.

Carton of Gee's Linctus Pastilles

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1950-1965

Square glass bottle with glass stopper used for Paregoric Elixir (camphorated tincture of opium) and Syrup of Squills, with traces of most recent contents remaining. 90 mm x 40 mm x 40 mm, 106g. Dispensed by Dadson of Manor Park, nineteenth century.

Bottle used for Paregoric Elixir and Syrup of Squills

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1801-1900

Cylindrical painted glass drug-jar with parchment cover, labelled "Laud. Opiat." (Opium Tincture), traces remaining. 117 mm x 63 mm diameter, 100 g. Unknown maker, probably Spanish, 17th or 18th century

Glass drug jar for Opiate Laudanum

Medical Glass-ware

1601-1800

Small glass bottle of compressed Dover's powder tablets with tin screw top from a small steel medicine chest. 70 mm x 20 mm x 25 mm, 30g. Labels on the chest reveal it was created for travellers to tropic areas. White paper label with black type face reads, ' Burroughs, Wellcome & Co/ 'Tabloids'/ of compressed/Dover Powder/5 gr./ Pulv. Ipecac. Co.)/ Directions.- 1 to 3 'tabloids'/ may be taken with a little water on/ retiring, to break up a cold, or an as-/astringent and anodyne in dysentery/ persistant diarrhoea or cholera, and/ for the relief of pain./ Snowhill Buildings, London, E.C.' The word 'poison' is stamped over the label in red. The term tabloid' medicines in compressed and measured doses was invented by Sir Henry Wellcome as early as 1884. Dover powder's key ingredient opium led it to be used as a cure for cholera, diarrheoa and the common cold. The mixture is usually comprised of opium, ipecac. and potassium sulphate. It was commonly used through the 1960s.

Small glass bottle of compressed Dover's powder tablets

Pharmacy-ware

1901-1930

Glass bottle of "Omnopon" (opium alkaloid) tablets with aluminium screw top in original carton with traces remaining. Carton: 47 mm x 29 mm, 15 g total. Supplied by Hoffmann-La Roche, English, 1910-1940.

Glass bottle of 'Omnopon' tablets in carton

Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Contraception

1910-1940

Glass dispensing bottle with trace residues remaining , labelled "LAUDANUM"(opium tincture). 96 mm x 26 mm diameter, 36 g. Printed pharmacy label reads, 'LAUNDUNUM. POISON/H.KING/FAMILY AND DISPENSING CHEMIST/ Post Office Street, Norwich/POISON'. Supplied by H. King, chemist in Norwich, English, 1880-1910.

Dispending bottle of laudanum

Medical Glass-ware

1880-1910

Rectangular glass bottle, kid covered stopper, half full of 'Aromatic Confection' (contains opium). 89 mm x 49 mm x 42 mm, 220g. Unknown maker, English, 19th century.

Bottle of aromatic confection

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1801-1900

Small clear glass bottle, with cork stopper and paper label, containing Brathwaite's Genuine Black Drop. Black Drop was a proprietary remedy of fermented vinegar of opium introduced around 1700. It contained more opium than most varieties of The label on this example reads 'Genuine Black Drop, Prepared By J.A. Brathwaite, Lancaster' and 'N.B. One Drop equal to four of Laudanum'.

Small clear glass bottle, with cork stopper and paper label, containing Brathwaite's Genuine Black Drop

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

c. 1801

Rectangular glass shop round of paediatric opiate squill linctus (LINCT. SCILL. OPIAT. PRO INFANT) with liquid traces remaining. 240 mm x 45 mm x 90 mm, 496g. Unknown maker, English, 1920-1960.

Shop round of pediatric opiate squill linctus

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1920-1960

Small glass bottle with glass stopper half-full of Dover's Powder. 71 mm x 23 mm x 18 mm, 38 g. By Cannan and Brydon, London, early nineteenth century.

Glass bottle of Dover's powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1801-1850

Small glass bottle of compressed lead and opium tablets with tin screw top from a small steel medicine chest. 70 mm x 20 mm x 25 mm, 28g. Labels on the chest reveal it was created for travellers to tropic areas. White paper label with black type face reads, ' Burroughs, Wellcome & Co/ 'Tabloids'/ LEAD AND OPIUM./ Anodyne and astringent./ In obstinante diarrhoea or dysen-/tary , one every six hours./ Snowhill Buildings, London, E.C.' The word 'poison' is stamped over the label in red. The term tabloid' medicines in compressed and measured doses was invented by Sir Henry Wellcome as early as 1884.

Small bottle of compressed lead and opium tablets

Pharmacy-ware

1901-1930

Ambler glass bottle of 100 compressed tablets of 'Aspirin compounded with Dover Powder' (aspirin, phenacetin and compound of ipecacuanha containing Dover Powder). 137 mm x 56 mm x 36 mm, 269 g. Printed label reads, '../ASPIRIN COMPOUND/WITH/DOVER POWDER/.../The proportion of Dover Powder in/ this tablet does not bring the product/ within the scope of the D.D.A./ PARKE, DAVIS/& COMPANY, LIMITED Inc U.S.A./HOUNSLOW near LONDON' Produced by Parke, Davis and Co., Ltd., English, 1920-1950.

Bottle of Aspirin compressed with Dover Powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1920-1950

Dispensing pot, stoneware, glazed, with tin lid of opium extract (X. OPII). 81 mm x 72 mm diameter, 392 g. Unknown maker, English, second half 19th century.

Dispensing pot of opium extract

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1851-1900

Small glass bottle with chamois covering full of Lead and Opium pills. 45 mm x 20 mm diameter, 13 g. Label reads, 'R. Scott Thompson and Co./ Medical Hall Calcutta/ LEAD AND OPIUM PILLS/ Use.- In mild cases of diarrhoea and dysentery./ Dose.- One every 3 hours, til purging abates.' Dispensed by R. Scott Thompson and Co., Calcutta, India, 1831-1900.

Small bottle of Lead and Opium pills

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1831-1900

Round card pill box with red paper covering for opium pills, with traces remaining. 22 mm x 30 mm diameter, 2 g. Unknown maker, English, 1831-1870.

Card pill box for opium

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1831-1870

Gutta percha, circle based canister with gutta percha screw cap. Paper label around body of canister. To contain Soloid brand of Lead and Opium tablets. These tablets are formulated to be mixed with 1 ounce of hot water (per tablet) and shaken to a lotion of lead and opium (lotio plumbi et opii). This is used as a soothing and astringent lotion for burns and bruises.

Gutta percha, canister, for containing Soloid brand of lead and opium tablets

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1880-1950

Tall glass bottle with glass stopper full of Aromatic Chalk Powder. 105 mm x 32 mm x 40 mm, 193g. Dispensed by J. Fuller for the Army and Navy Stores, London, c. 1870.

Bottle of Aromatic Chalk Powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1865-1890

Square bakelite bottle of `Tabloid' brand Aromatic chalk powder with opium tablets, opium 1/8 gr. 120 mm x 40 mm x 40 mm, 64g. Printed label reads, 'Burroughs Wellcome & Co./ Tabloid Brand/ Aromatic Chalk Powder/ with Opium/ (Pulv. Cretae Aromat. cum Opio)/ OPIUM, GR. 1/8/ in each product of/ gr. 5...'. Manufactured by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., London, used in 1919.

Bakelite bottle of Aromatic chalk powder with opium

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1900-1919

Bottle, clear glass, leather covering over cork, of Cholera Tincture. This liquid is believed to contain opium tincture due to the fact most Cholera treatments contained opium. 116 mm x 44 mm x 24 mm, 100 g. Inscription reads:'CHOLERA TINCTURE/.../ FRANK BLISS & Co. / DISPENSING AND FAMILY CHEMISTS,/SIMLA'. Distributed by Frank Bliss and Co., Indian, 1851-1910.

Bottle of cholera tincture

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1851-1910

Albarello jar, or vase, earthenware, tin-glazed, for opium poppy seeds, or magnesium sulphate, unsigned, Spain, 1700-1799

Albarello jar, for poppy seeds

Medical Ceramic-ware

1701-1800

Eight sticks of opium resin, individually wrapped in paper and tied with string, unsigned

Eight sticks of opium resin, individually wrapped in paper and tied with string

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

Floral painted opaline glass shop round used for opium (OPIO), with traces remaining. By the Farmacia de Onate, Spain, 1850-1900.

Shop round for opium

Medical Glass-ware

1850-1900

Rectangular glass bottle used for paregoric elixir, with trace contents remaining. 103 mm x 33 mm x 23 mm. Chemists label reads, 'ROBERTSON/PAREGORIC ELIXIR/35, GEORGE STREET EDINBURGH/ CHEMIST/DRUGGIST'. Dispensed by Robertson chemists, Edinburgh, 1831-1870.

Bottle of paregoric elixir

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1831-1870

Carton of six 1 c.c. ampoules of 'Omnopon' (opium alkaloids) with four glass ampoules remaining and instructional leaflet. Carton: 86 mm x 60 mm, 31 g total. Roche Products Limited, English, 1910-1940.

Six ampoule carton of 'Omnopon'

Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Contraception

1910-1940

Clear glass shop round with glass stopper for opium liniment (LIN: OPII), with dried residues in base and neck. 205 mm x 77 mm diameter. This liniment would have been applied topically. Unknown maker, English, late nineteenth century.

Shop round for opium liniment

Medical Glass-ware

1840-1910

Square glass bottle with glass stopper full of Dover's Powder. 47 mm x 32 mm x 26 mm, 52 g. Unknown maker, English, 1820-1850.

Glass bottle of Dover's Powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1820-1850

Square glass bottle with chamois covering containing a small quanitity of Dover's Powder. 62 mm x 32 mm x 32 mm, 70 g. Unknown maker, English, 1860-1900.

Glass bottle of Dover's powder

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1860-1900

Four glass phials with metal caps containing ipecacuanha and opium tablets, 0.3 g, wrapped in paper, with two additional packets not in a phial. Each phial: 101 mm x 18 mm diameter, 21 g. Unknown maker, produced for the German Army by various depots in Frankfurt and Cologne, 1915-1916.

Four glass phials and two additional packets not in a phial, all containing ipecacuanha and opium

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1915-1916

Cylindrical metal container wrapped in ornate golden paper, 51mm x 42mm, 140 g. Contains theriac, an ancient medicine used by the Greeks since the First century AD, comprised of viper flesh, opium, cinnammon and honey amongst its 60-70 ingredients. It was used as a general cure-all, although was often used as an antidote to poison, and later became known as 'mithridate'. Possibly from Constantinople, Turkey or Egypt, or more generally the Ottoman Empire, 1801-1910.

Container of theriac

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1801-1910

Wooden drawer insert with brass handle and sliding top filled with powdered 'aromatic confection'. 38 mm x 62 mm x 60 mm, 67g. Handwritten label reads,Conf. Aromat/Dose/Ten Grains to/Half a dram. Unknown maker, probably English, 1810-1830.

Powdered 'aromatic confection', inside Mahogany drawer

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1810-1830

Painted wooden drug jar, for unidentified opium mixture (OPUM/ TEBAIC) with wood lid and traces remaining. 151 mm x 75 mm, 237 g. Unknown maker, probably Swiss, 1770-1830.

Wooden jar for opium mixture

Pharmacy-ware

1770-1830

Pewter canister with screw top mostly full with 'Diascordio', an ancient medical preparation which contains poppy syrup. 52 mm x 24 mm diameter, 45 g. Unknown maker, Italian, 1771-1850.

Canister of Diascordio

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1771-1850

Large wooden barrel filled with large dried poppy heads. Barrel: 320 mm x 500 mm diameter. Faded inscription, possibly in Arabic, is illegible. Unknown maker, possibly Turkish, 1801-1930.

Large wooden barrel filled with dried poppy heads; controlled drug

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1801-1930

Pewter canister with screw top containing 'Teriaca' or Theriac, an ancient medical preparation which contains poppy syrup. 52 mm x 25 mm diameter, 38 g. Unknown maker, Italian, 1771-1850.

Canister of Teriaca

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1771-1850

Glass storage cylinder containing three large dried poppy heads, labelled. 286 mm x 106 mm diameter, 1389 g. Unknown maker, grown in Britain.

Specimen jar containing dried poppy heads

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

Large pewter box with sliding lid and knob, containing a dried block of Mithridate. 36 mm x 58 mm x 56 mm. Unknown maker, Italian, c. 1560s.

Pewter box of Mithridate

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1562-1566

Blue glass shop round for red poppy syrup with cork stopper and aluminium lid, traces remaining. 217 mm x 75 mm diameter, 344 g. Unknown maker, English, late 19th century.

Shop round for poppy syrup

Medical Glass-ware

1850-1900

Brown stoneware drug jar, cylindrical with japanned metal lid, moulded Royal Coat-of-arms and painted label on side, "OPIUM OPT:" with traces remaining. 170 mm x 137 mm diameter, 1164 g. Unknown maker, English, early nineteenth century.

Stoneware drug jar for opium

Medical Ceramic-ware

1816-1837

Small round red box made of card containing 6 black pills of Dover's Powder (Pil Hyd/c Doveri). Overall: 15 mm x 20 mm diameter, 2g. Unknown maker, English, 1810-1850.

Small red card box of Dover's Powder pills

Therapeutics

1810-1850

Glass bottle containing suspected controlled drug opium tincture, part of the Haemostatic set, London, England, 1871-1900.

Glass bottle containing suspected opium tincture, London, England, 1871-1900

Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Contraception

1871-1900