Museum & Herb Garret
Poison as Medicine at the Old Op
Posted: July 11, 2024
Throughout its long, complex history, medicine has always been depended on poison. Poisons – the scientific definition of which is any substance which harms your body – have been cures,…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Insomnia
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Colic
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Asthma
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Diarrhoea
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Wound Healing
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Depression
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Coughs
Posted: June 12, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Anti-Inflammation
Posted: June 7, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Antiseptics
Posted: June 7, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Wound Dressings
Posted: June 7, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Constipation
Posted: June 7, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Headaches
Posted: June 7, 2024
Disclaimer The research and writing done for this project were not completed by a medical practitioner, and thus any recommendations made must be taken with caution. Please understand that this…
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Herbals & Pharmaceuticals: Introduction
Posted: June 6, 2024
We’ve all heard jokes about how trivial things like coughs, fevers, or even an ill-timed fall could easily kill in the olden days, and it’s easy to laugh; we’ve developed…
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Featured Object: Apothecary Jars
Posted: October 31, 2022
What medicines were given to hospital patients in the 18th century? How did apothecaries store medicines? How do we know what these jars contained? Want to learn more? Read our…
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Featured Object: Pestle and Mortar
Posted: October 31, 2022
How did St Thomas’ Hospital contribute to the local economy? Why did apothecaries need mortars and pestles of different sizes and materials? Why did they stop using metal mortars? Want…
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Featured Object: Rhubarb
Posted: October 31, 2022
What caused the 18th-century ‘rhubarb mania’? What was rhubarb used to treat? How did rhubarb end up as an ingredient in British puddings? Want to learn more? Read the full…
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How Did St Thomas’ Hospital Contribute to the Local Economy?
Posted: September 29, 2022
While providing care for the sick and injured, St Thomas’ Hospital was a significant contributor to the local economy in Southwark and the City of London, providing employment, and buying…
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Deciphering the Contents of Apothecary Jars
Posted: September 29, 2022
From the middle of the 17th century, the designs on apothecary jars began to include a cartouche (label) with a Latin abbreviation indicating the jar’s contents. Deciphering the abbreviations on…
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‘Gold, Silver and Rhubarb’, Britain’s mystery wonder drug that became its favourite pudding
Posted: October 3, 2021
Strange as it seems, until relatively recently rhubarb was an exotic mystery plant from unknown lands. Nowadays it may be more at home in a pie or a crumble than…
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Virtual Tour of the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret
Posted: January 29, 2021
Explore the Museum from the comfort of your own home with our virtual tour.
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Jigsaw Puzzles
Posted: July 4, 2020
The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret is an authentic museum with a great aesthetic! We have transformed some of our most popular images into jigsaw puzzles that you can…
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Herbal Medicine/Pharmacy
Posted: July 4, 2020
Museum of the History of Medicine – Drug Trade Exhibition The Herb Society.org.uk (The UK’s leading society for increasing the understanding, use and appreciation of herbs and their benefits to health).…
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Old St Thomas’ Hospital A-Z of Herbs: A Historical Compendium
Posted: July 4, 2020
The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret has a very extensive collection which includes the herbs that were used to make medicines at Old St Thomas’ Hospital. Since the…
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Introduction to English Witches in the Early Modern Period
Posted: August 1, 2019
Between 1450 and 1750 ecclesiastical and secular courts tried and executed tens of thousand of people throughout Europe for the crime of witchcraft. Witchcraft may be defined as supernatural activity,…
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Dried Marigold Flowers
Posted: August 1, 2019
Many flowers have names associated with the Virgin Mary – Lady’s Mantle and Lady’s Smock to name two. It would seem reasonable to assume that Marigold, old name Marygold, is…
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The Christmas Rose as a Medicinal Plant
Posted: August 1, 2019
Today we know Black Hellebore (botanical name Helliborus Officinalis) as the Christmas Rose, but it also had a much older name, Christe Herb. The reason for both of these alternative names is…
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