concept

An apothecary using a pestle and mortar to make up a prescription. Coloured etching.

A quack doctor offering a gouty John Bull some medicine while conventional doctors are turned away; referring to British politics. Coloured lithograph attributed to J. Doyle.

An apothecary making up a prescription using scales, his wife holds a recipe for him and two assistants are working with the bellows and pestle and mortar. Line engraving by F. Baretta after P. Mainoto.

A sick man mixing a dose of medicine for himself from a book. Mezzotint by H. Dawe, 1824, after M.W. Sharp.

An excited physician examining a urine specimen and referring to a book, while the patient waits for the diagnosis, two assistants are mixing concoctions in the background. Mezzotint by J.B. Enzensberger after D. Teniers, the younger.

Misunderstanding between a doctor and his working-class patient, who has swallowed the leeches he prescribed. Wood engraving by G. Du Maurier, 1877.

A physician, in his surgery and workshop, examining a urine flask and referring to a book. Engraving by J.P. Le Bas after D. Teniers.

Six scenes narrating the fuss caused by a man's progression from minor cold to supposed major illness and then sudden recovery. Etching by J. Lisle after himself.

A Scottish shepherd telling a doctor on the roadside about the death of his wife and how glad he is that he didn't take any of the medicine the doctor had prescribed for his wife. Wood engraving after L. Raven-Hill, 1908.

A physician talking to a patient about his illness, the patient is holding a basket containing a urine flask. Engraving.

An invalid with bandaged arm and head. Coloured aquatint.

Michel Schuppach in his pharmacy examining a young woman's urine who is seated opposite him awaiting the result. Line engraving by B. Hübner, 1775, after G. Locher, 1774.

Dizionario overo trattato universale delle droghe semplici, in cui si ritrovano i loro differenti nomi, la loro origine, la loro scelta, i principi, che hanno, le loro qualità, la loro etimologia, e tutto ciò, che v'hà di particolare negli animali, ne' vegetabili, e ne' minerali. Opera dipendente dalla Farmacopea universale scritta in francese / dal Niccolo Lemery ; E tradotta in italiano.

Compendium simplicium et compositorum medicamentorum quorum est frequens usus apud medicos & pharmacopolas ex peritorum philosophorum & medicorum monumentis collectum in quo nomina, natura, loca et integritatis notae simplicium et substitutorum, una cum medicamentorum compositorum descriptione, et numero pro usu idoneo ... explicantur ... His annectitur Unicornis celeberrimi quadrupedis historia ... cujus occasione omnia cornigera nominatim recensentur / [Antonio Anguisola].

Pharmacopoea Persica ex idiomate Persico in Latinum conversa. ... : Opus missionariis, mercatoribus, caeterisque regionum Orientalium lustratoribus necessarium; nec non Europaeis nationibus perutile. Accedunt in fine specimen notarum in Pharmacopoeam Persicam; tum indices duo; alter pharmaceuticus, compositiones in hoc opere contentas indigitans; alter pathologicus, remedia ad singulos morbos ostendens.

Medicina magica tamen physica: = magical, but natural physick. Or A methodical tractate of diastatical physick. : Containing the general cures of all infirmities: and of the most radical, fixed, and malignant diseases belonging, not only to the body of man, but to all other animal and domestick creatures whatsoever, and that by way of transplantation. With a description of a most excellent cordial out of gold, much to be estimated. / Published by Samuel Boulton, Salop.

Doet niet sonder Godt, op dat ghy niet en wort bespot; ick en wil my niet hooger prysen, of ick sal't metter daet bewysen.

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

We're experiencing some technical problems in the library today. 

If you’re visiting us, you won’t be able to print or use our PCs or laptops. If you want to sign-up for a free library membership, we’ll give you a temporary card for today and complete your membership next time you visit.

You can access items from the collection as usual and our team is on hand to help. Thank you for your patience while we resolve these issues. 

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

Medicine - Formulae, receipts, prescriptions

Images from the collections

Images about Medicine - Formulae, receipts, prescriptions

Works from the collections

Doet niet sonder Godt, op dat ghy niet en wort bespot; ick en wil my niet hooger prysen, of ick sal't metter daet bewysen.

Medicine - Formulae, receipts, prescriptions

Images from the collections

Images about Medicine - Formulae, receipts, prescriptions

Works from the collections

Doet niet sonder Godt, op dat ghy niet en wort bespot; ick en wil my niet hooger prysen, of ick sal't metter daet bewysen.

Related topics