Medicine chests and cases

Title

Description

Ranging from the eighteenth century to the nineteenth century, the College's collection of often visually appealing wooden chests store a number of unguents, ointments, powders and balsams in glass bottles and tin containers.

The collection includes the medicine chest of Dr Stuart Threipland, used to treat patients during the 1745 Jacobite rising.

These medicine chests offer an intriguing glimpse into the type of treatments used during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and how they were stored and transported by members of the medical profession during these periods.

Items in the Medicine chests and cases Collection

Medicine chest of [John Boswell]

A label on this medicine chest states: ' Dr John Boswell medicine chest. He was my great grandfather, W Roxburgh, 1877.' William Roxburgh (1751-1815) was a Scottish surgeon and botanist. It has been said that he lived for a time during his early…

Medicine chest (unknown owner)

Medicine chest made from wood. The top chest section contains three rows of glass bottles. The back row has four large bottles, the middle row has five medium sized bottles and the front row has seven small bottles. There is also a drawer section to…

Homeopathy medicine chest (unknown owner)

This wooden medicine chest contains homeopathic remedies. There are three rows of nine spaces containing small glass medicine bottles with cork stoppers. It was presented to the College by Mr and Mrs Eric Davidson.

Medicine case (unknown owner)

Leatherette case of small cylindrical glass bottles with metal caps. Embossed silver lettering states: 'Seven Highest Awards for Superiority Worlds Columbian Exposition, H K Mulford Company, Philadelphia.'

Medicine chest (unknown owner)

Medicine chest made from wood. The top chest section contains three rows of glass bottles. The back row has three large bottles, the middle row has four medium sized glass bottles and the front row has five small glass bottles. There is a drawer…

Materia medica medicine chest (unknown owner)

This item consists of:

- Two matching medicine chests. These two chests each consist of a chest of drawers and a wooden cabinet placed on top the chest of drawers. These were possibly part of the materia medica display held in the College during…

Medicine chest (unknown owner)

Made of wood and brass. Contains glass bottles for medicine dispensed by a pharmacist on Princes Street, Edinburgh.

Medicine chest of Sir Stuart Threipland

This medicine chest was used by Dr Stuart Threipland to treat patients during the 1745 Jacobite rising, including at the Battle of Culloden, led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart. It is in a good state of preservation and holds a comprehensive range of…