concept

A design for a pharmacy label with snakes, an alligator, symbols and urns. Pen drawing.

A surgeon applying the method of cupping to Ragotin, who believes his body has swelled in his sleep. Engraving by G. Huquier the elder after J.B. Oudry.

An apothecary sitting in his shop, sorting through materia medica, surrounded by paraphernalia of his profession. Engraving, ca. 1750.

A rural surgeon treating a male patient's foot, in the background an assistant is mixing a concoction with a pestle and mortar in a surgery. Engraving by T. Major, 1747, after D. Teniers, the younger.

A cayman basking on an island surrounded by swamp. Coloured lithograph after C. B. Brown.

A tooth-drawer examining the tooth of a seated patient amidst paraphernalia relating to his profession. Pencil drawing attributed to D. Teniers II.

A surgeon applying a probe to the arm of a screaming patient. Etching by C. Dusart, 1695.

An apothecary mixing a concoction in his working room surrounded by the paraphernalia of his profession. Wood engraving by A. Bellenger after H.S. Marks.

A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen.

A cayman and its young emerging from an egg. Engraving, ca. 1778.

1 print : wood engraving ; image 20.5 x 12.5 cm

The tooth-drawer is adorning a furry hat, in front of him are the attributes of his trade: a medicine chest, a surgeon's seal and surgeon's plate. In the background is an alligator hanging from the ceiling and various medicinal jars

1 print : lithograph, with watercolour ; image 31.9 x 25.7 cm

A tooth-drawer holding up a tooth after extracting it from a patient, who is spitting blood out of the window. Coloured lithograph by J.A.(?). Pecht, 1836, after G. Dou, 1672.

Appears to show America as an indigenous American woman oppressing a black male slave. A tobacco plant (left) , an American alligator, and a mountain range are also included as attributes of America. The central scene is in stipple, while the elaborate surrounding border is etched: the border contains at least seven elements including pearls, spiral ribbon, and leaf-and-berry motifs

1 print : etching and stipple engraving, eye-shaped

A woman in a feathered headdress and carrying a bow, is quelling a dark-skinned man; representing America. Etching by T. Hancock, 1805.

The images of a surgeon (often itinerant) making an incision in a patient's head in order to extract 'stones' (implying madness in the individual) do not represent an actual operation, but are allegorical scenes refering to the subduction of 'folly' (madness) from the body. See further: W. Schupbach, A new look at The cure of folly, Medical history, 1978, vol. 22, pp. 267-281

1 print : photogravure ; image 13.5 x 11.2 cm

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Alligators

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Catalogue

A tooth-drawer examining the tooth of a seated patient amidst paraphernalia relating to his profession. Pencil drawing attributed to D. Teniers II.

An apothecary mixing a concoction in his working room surrounded by the paraphernalia of his profession. Wood engraving by A. Bellenger after H.S. Marks.

A tooth-drawer holding up a tooth after extracting it from a patient, who is spitting blood out of the window. Coloured lithograph by J.A.(?). Pecht, 1836, after G. Dou, 1672.

A woman in a feathered headdress and carrying a bow, is quelling a dark-skinned man; representing America. Etching by T. Hancock, 1805.

A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen.

Wellcome uses cookies.

Alligators

Images

Catalogue

A tooth-drawer examining the tooth of a seated patient amidst paraphernalia relating to his profession. Pencil drawing attributed to D. Teniers II.

An apothecary mixing a concoction in his working room surrounded by the paraphernalia of his profession. Wood engraving by A. Bellenger after H.S. Marks.

A tooth-drawer holding up a tooth after extracting it from a patient, who is spitting blood out of the window. Coloured lithograph by J.A.(?). Pecht, 1836, after G. Dou, 1672.

A woman in a feathered headdress and carrying a bow, is quelling a dark-skinned man; representing America. Etching by T. Hancock, 1805.

A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen.

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