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LOTIONS & OINTMENTS, PILLS, TABLETS, LOZENGES ETC.

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Amyl Nitrate Tin
Suppositories
Neoklenz Packet
Coramine Phials

Yanatas Liver Pills

Digitaline Tablets

Ointment Jar

Pocket Medicine Case

Iodine Pen
Kaolin Poultice
Digitalin Pill Box
Cherry Stalks
Golden Ointment
Poor Man's Friend
Pill Box
Progesterone Ampoules
Laxative Pills
The Liver Pill
Pill Box
Pill Box
Ointment Dome
Beecham's Pills
Pill Box
Bear's Grease Lid
Cocoanut Oil Box
Pile Powders
Sanatogen Tin

 

LIST OF ITEMS

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Amyl Nitrate Tin

Tin Container of Phials of Amyl Nitrate, Early 20th Century. Slim tin container which contains four phials wrapped in bandage.

An item contained within midwife Ethel Williams' Midwifery case. Ethel trained at Guy's Hospital between 1906 and 1910, and items within the case were used at home births. The case and contents were included in the NHS 50 exhibition shown in 1998. Nitrate of amyl / amyl nitrate - used for patients having an attack of angina. Included in NHS 50 1998 exhibition

Loaned By: Mr Edward Williams

(1990:026)

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Suppositories

Box of Burroughs Wellcome 'Ennule' Suppositories. Early 20th Century. Small printed labelled tin of seven small silver foil wrapped lozenge-shaped suppositories.

An item contained within midwife Ethel Williams' Midwifery case. Ethel trained at Guy's Hospital between 1906 and 1910, and items within the case were used at home births. The case and contents were included in the NHS 50 exhibition shown in 1998.

Loaned By: Mr Edward Williams

(1990:035)

 

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Neoklenz Packet

Sealed "Free Sample" Packet of "Neoklenz Natural Cure", c. 1950. White envelope with red and black text print plus some yellow background. Contains herbs.

A 'free sample' packet.The cost for family size was 9 pence (marked on back). A list of effect of the 'cure' is written on the back of the envelope as; "The most efficient cleaner of the intestines / is nature's cure for constipation. / Relieves the bowels of any undue strain. / Prepares the body to resist disease./ Purifies the whole system resulting in perfect health."

(2004:038)

 

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Coramine Phials

Early Twentieth Century Metal Carrying Case Containing Sterile Coramine Ampoules. Made by CIBA Ltd, 40 Southwark Street, London, SE1.

Metal box for five small medicine phials. Four phials in box have cream ground label with red text 'Coramine'.

Used as a stimulant for treatment of heart attack. An item contained within midwife Ethel Williams' Midwifery case. Ethel trained at Guy's Hospital between 1906 and 1910, and items within the case were used at home births. The case and contents were included in the NHS 50 exhibition shown in 1998.

Loaned By: Mr Edward Williams

(1990:034)

 

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Liver Pill Box

'Yanatas' Liver Pill Box, 1890s. Small brown cylindrical cardboard tube with paper label and dark colour cork closure.

(2004:040)

 

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Digitaline tablet box

"Nativelle's Digitaline" Tablet Box made by Laboratory Nativelle, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, N1. Small cylindrical cardboard box with paper label. Opens into two halves.

Label reads: "Laboratoire Nativelle/ Nativelle's digitaline, 40 tablets, 1/10mg/ POISON/ Laboratory Nativelle, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, N1." Purchased re digitalin / digitoxin reference on label. The drug is toxic and still produced from foxglove leaves as a heart drug which strengthens the heart wall. Digitalin/ digitoxin etc has not yet been synthesised.

(2004:043)

 

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Ointment Jar

19th century Ceramic Ointment Jar with Domed Lid,labelled UNG. POT: IODI. Green band on body and lid, white bands and raised glass covered label.

"UNGUENT: POT: IODI." translates as "Ointment: Potassium: Iodine" (Potassium of Iodine solution).

(2004:007)

 

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Pocket Medicine Case

Pocket 'Tabloid' Medicine Case with contents, made by Burroughs Wellcome and Co, early 20th century.

Brown leather bound metal case. Contains; Lint, bandages, five glass test tubes with screw top metal lids and one squeezable tube.

Tubes and case are marked Burroughs Wellcome, The word "Tabloid" is a Burroughs Wellcome Trademark. Five glass tubes contain: Boric Acid Tablets, Cascara Sagrada, Aromatic Chalk Powder with Opium, Potassium Permanganate Aspirin, Squeezable Tube of Carron Oil, Package of 1/2 Boric Lint, Cotton Wool, Bandages. Cascara is used as a purgative, which could counteract the use of Opium which makes one constipated. Carron oil was used for a dressing for burns. (Referenced by Professor Harold Ellis. RCS). Contained within midwife Ethel Williams' Midwifery case. Ethel trained at Guy's Hospital between 1906 and 1910, and items within the case were used at home births.

Loaned by: Mr Edward Williams

(1990:021)

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Iodine Pen

Sterilex Iodine Application Pen, early 20th century.

Two enclosed tubes connected by a bung. The inner tube is closed at one end extending between outer tubes through a bung. Wick runs through the middle.

Marked STERILEX REG. 688250. Contained within midwife Ethel Williams' Midwifery case. Ethel trained at Guy's Hospital between 1906 and 1910, and items within the case were used at home births.

Loaned By: Mr Edward Williams

(1990:043)

 

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Poultice Tin

1lb Tin of Kaolin Poultice made by Stemco Ltd, London, NW1, c. 1940.

Tin with pale blue ground painted label with dark blue print "POULTICE OF KAOLIN". Kaolin is a type of earth and is very absorbent in poultice form.

(1997:017)

 

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Digitalin Pill Box

Round Cardboard Pill Box with Handscripted Label for Digitalin, early/mid 20th century. Small circular pill box made from cardboard. Maroon coloured sides, plain top and bottom and handwritten lid for "Digitalin".

Handwritten prescription on lid - "Digitalin, 1 a day if required". Digitalin is a heart drug made from foxglove leaves which have not been synthesised to date (2008). Digitalin/digitalis effects and strengthens the walls/muscle of the heart. Toxic.

(2004:035)

 

Herb Box

'Herbs for Health' cardboard box of Cherry Stalks. Heath and Heather Ltd, Herb Specialists, St Albans, England.

Cardboard box with white front printed in green and brown with white sticker detailing contents. Sides of box are green and back is white. Printed in brown with directions. Contains brown paper of cherry stalks

"Herbs for Health / 957 / Cherry Stalks/[prunus avium]/Dose for adults:/ Four tablespoons three times a day after meals./ Dose for children:/ Two tablespoons three times a day".

(1999:209)

Golden Ointment Pot

Small Round Ointment Pot For "Dr Rooke's Golden Ointment". Dr Rooke, Giessen, discovered 1839.

Shallow ointment pot made of pale brown glazed stoneware for Dr Rooke's Golden Ointment.

(2005:124)

Ointment Pots

Three Porcelain Ointment Pots With No Lids And Lip Around Top, Beach & Barnicott, Bridport.

White porcelain pots with blue text printed on for "Poor Man's Friend", an ointment invented by Dr Roberts. (a) & (b) are the same size and shape. (c) is slightly smaller with thinner porcelain.

Text on all three pots reads on front: "Prepared only by // Beach & Barnicott, // Successors to the late // Dr Roberts, // Bridport" On reverse: "Poor Man's Friend // Price 1/ 1 1/2"

(2005:123 a-c)

Pill Box

Light Brown Wooden Cylindrical Pill Box, with Three Labels Inside it. F.W Doublday Ltd. Dispensing Chemists, Dorking.

Cylindrical box made out of very thin almost cardboard like wood. The wood is light in colour. There is a discoloured sticker on the top of the lid that reads: " BORAX AND HONEY. // F.W.DOUBLDAY Ltd. // Dispensing Chemists, Dorking"

(2004:068)

 

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Progesterone Ampoules

Pharmaceutical Box for Injection of Progesterone, Luteostab for Boots, Nottingham. Small, blue, cardboard box once contained progesterone ampoules for syringe injection - opens through centre. Box empty. 20th century.

Loaned By: Penfold Collection

(1999:099P)

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Laxative Pills

Glass Bottle of 'Medilax' Laxative Pellets , made by Savory & Moore. Small water white glass bottle with bent metal screw cap, containing many (some shiny) silver wrapped 'pills' or pellets, c. 1910-30.

S&M the company was established in 1794.

(1998:030)

 

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Pill Box

Rectangular Pill Box labelled 'The Liver Pill'. Navy/Prussian blue cardboard box with white trim like a big matchbox. Label was probably added at a later stage, but is also old. Box is Victorian.

White ground paper label reads:"The Liver Pill / Prepared according to the / recipe of the late Sir Andrew Clarke / Dose: One each night for three or four nights. Afterwards repeat occasionally /as required/(upper case); PREPARED BY ALFRED PARKER, CHEMIST,/ HIGH STREET UTTOXETER"

(1999:203)

 

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Pill Box

Pink Cardboard Pill Box, c. 1860. Small cardboard box with handwritten label. Box opens into two shallow halves, with dark red ridged sides. Circular pink label on back, same colour pasted inside. MONTPELIER AVE, printed on top half around perimeter of label and FLETCHER & PALMER around bottom. Tiny handwriting across front of lid.

(2001:009)

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Pill Box

Cardboard Pill Box

(2001:010)

 

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Ointment Dome

Small Plastic Ointment Dome. A dark plastic hollow dome in two pieces. The top unscrews from the base. "Menthol BP" is written in raised lettering on the lid and "British made" on the base.

(2004:062)

 

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Pill Box: Beechams

Large Pill Box for Beecham's pills, madeby Beechams, St. Helen's, c. 1905. Cylindrical carton with metal lid with printed wrap of five round labels around sides. Has rusty lid - yellow originally on outside. Inside paint OK

(2001:043)

 

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Pill Box

Wooden Pill Box - 'The Pill'. Pale wood cylindrical box with circular paper label on top, printed: "THE PILLS." Late 19th/early 20th century.

These boxes were made plain, then the pharmacist added their own label.

(2000:010)

 

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Pot Lid

Ointment Pot Lid for Bear's Grease, made by James Atkinson, 19th century. Inverted circular dish made of white pottery with printed label of bear in chains in fancy border (in black with fine gold outer line). No body to container.

Typical ointment jar lid. Bear's grease used as hair ointment.

(2000:021)

 

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Pill Box

Early twentieth century round wooden Pill Box. Turned light coloured wood drum with circular paper label on the top 'Cocoa-nut oil', breaks into 2 pieces. Very clean and empty inside

These boxes were plain and labelled by individual chemists for various pills etc.

(2002:006)

 

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Pile Powders

Black Cardboard Box of Pylitna Pile Powders made by The Manufacturers of Pylitna Preparations, 258 Euston Rd, London NW1, 1940s.

Black box with label on lid for; "Pylitna Haemorrhoid Pile Powders". Box contains 3 sachet envelopes of prescription each with herbal contents.

Directions ;"WHEN PRELIMINARY SYMPTOMS ARE FELT, SUCH AS PAIN, HEAT & UNEASINESS ONE 'PYLITNA' BRAND PILE POWDER SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ABOUT A WINE GLASS FULL OF WARM WATER OR MILK (WELL STIRRED AND TAKEN IMMEDIATELY) EVERY NIGHT AND MORNING UNTIL RELIEVED".

(1998:037)

 

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Sanatogen Tin

Tin Box of Sanatogen Powder, made by Genatosan Ltd, Loughborough, Leicestershire, 1930s.

Text reads: "A "Genatosan" Product // Sanatogen // A BRAND OF CASIEN AND SODIUM GLYCEROPHOSPHATE // THE // RESTORATIVE // OF THE // NERVOUS SYSTEM".

(2002:039)

 

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