Oversize ephemera : Medical songs 3.

Three despairing women, one of whom looks disapprovingly at three quack medicine vendors concocting a mixture; representing Britain's economic depletion and distress at the hands of her politicians. Etching by W. Heath, 1830.

A well groomed itinerant medicine vendor selling his wares from a smart carriage. Steel engraving by K. Schüler (?) after F. Piloty.

Patients consulting an obese quack. Watercolour painting by T. Rowlandson, 1807.

A salesman in Rome with a snake selling amulets as antidotes or prophylactics against snake-bite to a crowd of people. Etching by B. Pinelli, 1821.

An itinerant vendor advertising his 'sales show' in a square of town. Wood engraving after F. Gilbert.

John Bull as the patient of promotors of competing therapies; representing British parliamentary reform. Aquatint by S. de Wilde, 1809.

A husband and wife ask a quack doctor for advice about health: he suggests substituting himself for the husband in the wife's affections, and she agrees. Engraving by J.J. Balechou, 1743, after E. Jeaurat.

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1 print : etching and stipple engraving ; platemark 9.8 x 14.5 cm

An itinerant medicine vendor and his assistants being pelted off stage with stones from an angry audience. Engraving by C.F. Stoelzel, 1798, after J. Schenau.

<p>Set in 'Paul's walk', the nave of old St Paul's Cathedral, London, which was described by Ainsworth as a market and meeting place. "Blaize" is one of the characters in the novel. One of the men on the right with a young woman is John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester</p>

1 print : etching, with aquatint ; image 9.7 x 14.1 cm

People strolling and buying plague antidotes in old St Paul's Cathedral, London. Etching by J. Franklin.

Robinson.

Il medico saltimbanco : vita e avventure di Buonafede Vitali, giramondo instancabile, chimico di talento, istrione di buona creanza / Giorgio Cosmacini.

8 unnumbered pages, 192, 191-195 pages, 3 unnumbered pages ; 8vo (15 cm)

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.

1 print : etching ; platemark 17.1 x 14.1 cm

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Quacks and quackery

Images

Works

An itinerant medicine vendor and his assistants being pelted off stage with stones from an angry audience. Engraving by C.F. Stoelzel, 1798, after J. Schenau.

People strolling and buying plague antidotes in old St Paul's Cathedral, London. Etching by J. Franklin.

Il medico saltimbanco : vita e avventure di Buonafede Vitali, giramondo instancabile, chimico di talento, istrione di buona creanza / Giorgio Cosmacini.

An itinerant medicine vendor selling his wares on stage to an audience while his assistant draws a tooth from a man. Etching by Diebiey, 1767.

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Wellcome uses cookies.

Quacks and quackery

Images

Works

An itinerant medicine vendor and his assistants being pelted off stage with stones from an angry audience. Engraving by C.F. Stoelzel, 1798, after J. Schenau.

People strolling and buying plague antidotes in old St Paul's Cathedral, London. Etching by J. Franklin.

Il medico saltimbanco : vita e avventure di Buonafede Vitali, giramondo instancabile, chimico di talento, istrione di buona creanza / Giorgio Cosmacini.

An itinerant medicine vendor selling his wares on stage to an audience while his assistant draws a tooth from a man. Etching by Diebiey, 1767.

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times