Browse Artefacts (885 total)

Quinine, sold by Andrew Robertson, Chemist and Druggist, Markinch; supplied by Duncan, Flockhart & Co., Edinburgh. Quinine is a powdered form of cinchona bark which can be administered orally or intravenously. Its use as a treatment for and vaccine…

Laudanum, sold by Andrew Robertson; supplied by Duncan, Flockhart & Co., Edinburgh. Laudanum is a bitter tasting tincture of opium which was primarily prescribed to treat coughs and relieve pain. Until the early twentieth century, it was possible to…

Concentrated Fluid Extract of Senna, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Co., Chemists to the Queen. Made from the leaves and fruit of the Senna plant, Senna can be administered in tablets or as a liquid (termed “fluid extract” or “concentrated…

A yellow liquid distilled from castor beans, it was believed that cold drawn castor oil, produced by pressing the beans without the use of heat or other chemicals, was of higher quality than regular castor oil. In the nineteenth century, castor oil…

English Paregoric Elixir, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Company. “Paregoric” is a camphorated tincture of opium, sometimes containing additional ingredients such as benzoic acid, aniseed oil, honey and alcohol. Paregoric medicines such as this…

Huxham’s Tincture Bark, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Company. Devised by Dr John Huxham (c.1692-1768) to treat fevers, Huxham’s Tincture contained cinchona bark, orange peel, serpentary root, saffron, cochineal and alcohol. Huxham’s original…

Carbonate of Soda, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Company. In the nineteenth-century, sodium carbonate mixed with water was prescribed as an antacid to treat heartburn, indigestion and flatulence. Some physicians additionally prescribed carbonate of…

Pure Ponderous Calcined Magnesia, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Co., Chemists & Druggists to her Majesty. Calcined magnesia, or reactive magnesia, was prescribed as an antacid and laxative.

Directions for use: One teaspoon to be taken in a…

Dr Gregory’s Stomachic Powder or Compound Rhubarb Powder, prepared by Duncan, Flockhart & Co. A common nineteenth-century antacid, stomachic and cathartic developed by James Gregory (1753-1821). Contains powdered Turkey rhubarb (rheum palmatum),…

Liniment Opii, or Opium Liniment, sold by A. Robertson, Chemist & Druggist, Markinch; supplied by Duncan, Flockhart & Co., Edinburgh. Opium Liniment is a cream or balm mixture of opium which was prescribed to relieve muscle pain and alleviate…