Poppy Heads

Four broken poppy seed heads coated in varnish.

The opium poppy heads were found in the rafters of the Herb Garret during restoration of the Museum from 1956-62. Before the advent of ether in 1846, laudanum or opium was given in small doses to some patients. Opium, if administered at all, was usually given in tincture form where Papaver somniferam (opium poppy) resin was dissolved in small amount of a solvent alcohol (known as Laudanum). Samuel Pepys was given tincture of opium prior to his Lithotomy in 1658. The operation was undertaken outside the hospital on the 26th March 1658 at Dr Sawyer's house by St Thomas' surgeon Thomas Hollyer, 1609-1673.(McInnes, 1963). Laudanum dulled the senses but was by no means an anaesthetic.

(1990:011)

Gunshot Bullets

Jar of Four Lead Gunshot Bullets from the Crimean War. Used for the demonstration of gunshot wounds by William MacCormac, St Thomas' Hospital 1836-1901

Donated By: St. Thomas Hospital (Info Mr Jackson)

(1990:124)

Gunshot Bullets

Jar of Six Lead Gunshot Bullets from the Crimean War. Used for demonstrating gunshot wound treatment by William MacCormac, St Thomas Hospital 1836 1901.

Donated By: St Thomas' Hospital (info Mr Jackson)

(1990:125)

Gunshot Bullets

Jar of Two Lead Gunshot Bullets from the Crimean War. Used for demonstrating the treatment of gunshot wounds by William MacCormac, St Thomas' Hospital 1836-1901.

Donated By: St Thomas Hospital (info Mr Jackson)

(1990:126)

Bullets

8 bullets made of copper or brass of varying sizes, c. 1940s.

Purchased for displays for illustration of the types of injury occurring in old/modern warfare and its historical surgical treatment.See for comparison lead bullets removed by William MacCormac, St Thomas' Hospital surgeon (1836-1901).

(2004:036)

Bladder Stones

Fourteen bladder stones of varying sizes in plastic bag. Transferred into plastic box, August 2005.

Donated By: Monica Britton Medical History Collection

(2005:051MB a-n)

Specimen Carrying Box

Brown Medical Specimen Carrying Box for Medical Samples with Contents, 20th century.

Samples, tubes and jars, and 'Laboratory Techniques' information sheet in brown carrying box. Elastic strip holds sample tubes/jars is nailed around the perimeter at the bottom of the bag.

Loaned By: Loan Penfold Collection,

(1999:025P(a-e))

Specimen Jar

Clear glass, blown ovate specimen jar with flat rim around the top opening and rounded rim around the base, c. 1840.

Empty hand blown specimen jar which was likely to have held an anatomical specimen preserved in alcohol. The jar would have had a matching ovate shaped glass plate lid sealed in place with pitch.

Loaned By: Penfold Collection

(1999:035P)

Lantern Slides: Microbiology

Wooden Box Containing 25 Medical Glass Lantern Slides: Microbiology, c. 1880s.

Rectangular wooden box, with hinged lid, purpose built for glass Magic Lantern slides). Twenty five slides of microscopic images of microbiology (bacterial lab comparison ) of germs and grown cultures of various diseases.

Box has 1.50 marked scale for slides and an empty printed slide list and sldes are held with panels of cardboard in between tham. Most slides are framed with paper strips and have double glass panels and are packed with cardboard between them. Some are inscribed 'Cholera' etc, one slide,in copper frame,inscribed:"J. MOORE, BIRMINGHAM" + serial number. One slide has "ST.GEORGE HOSP."labels + "BACTERIAL LAB"

Loaned By: Penfold Collection, Colchester

(1999:043P)

Bladderstone

Human Calcium Phosphate Bladderstone. Oval chalky and ochre colour bladder stone in hand scripted (thin) wood pill box, c. 1844.

The stone has an ochre skin with chalky interior. A "calcium phosphate stone" and "the colour of stone is unusual", Prof. Harold Ellis, January 2000. Hand scripted lid states "Taken from" then there is a blank line "L (or I) Partridge Esq // March 8th // 1844". Mr Partridge was surgeon of St Bartholomew's Hospital (at time of date) and the Westminster Hospital (the patient/donor line is left blank). Was apparently stored in its own original pill box which is made of thin orange/white wood.

Loaned By: Penfold collection,Colchester

(1999:048P)

Calcium Bladderstone

Human Bladderstone in Wooden Pill Box. Calcium phosphate bladderstone removed in the nineteenth century by lithotomy, c. 1860s.

Loaned By: Penfold collection, Colchester

(1999:050P)

Slides

Brown cardboard box containing 49 clear fine glass slides, un-used, c. 1950.

Slide Number 17 from broken side of box has a tiny chip slice off edge.

Loaned By: Penfold collection

(1999:059P)

Bladderstones

Two Bladderstones in Wooden Pill Box

Loaned by Penfold Collection ref Dr Michael Smith Colchester

(1999:049P)

Lantern Slides

Pharmaceutical Lantern Slides, made by L.C.C. Southern Group Laboratories, 20th century.

8 glass slides, black sticky tape edges. 6 are painted cream on the top edge. Labelled white paper printed Label, Collagen Fibres from Rat Tail.

Loaned By: Penfold collection

(1999:095P)

Lantern Slides: Weil's

Lantern Slides: Pathology - Weil's/Kidney/Lung Disease, made by L.C.C. Southern Group Laboratories, Park Hospital, London S.E.13, c. 1954.

12 x glass lantern slides with black paper edges. Six of the slides are labelled : Lantern slide produced at Southern Group Laboratory Park Hospital, London S.E.13 and numbered. Five of the slides have white paper label surrounds with circular image handwritten in ink: Weil's Disease, Guinea-pig kidney, Levadite x 1000 Weil's Disease, Human Kidney, Weil's Disease, Human Kidney, Weil's Disease, Human Kidney, Weil's Disease, Lung. One of the slides shows a diagram of an electron microscope.

Loaned By: Penfold Collection

(1999:096P)

Lead Shot

Fourteen Crimean War Lead Shot Bullets, c. 1857. Fourteen bullets, that look like mangled lumps of lead. One has distinctive flat bullet shape the rest are, at best, 'domed' lumps of lead.

Excavated from the Crimean War battlefields.

Donated By: Mike Bardell

(1995:043(a-n))