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  • James Gillray, 'Gentle Emetic'
  • Annibal Barlet; antimony emetic
  • A doctor waiting for his patient to vomit after administering an emetic. Coloured aquatint by G.M. Woodward, 1800.
  • A woman holding her stomach and vomiting into a bucket after self administering an emetic. Coloured etching by I. Cruikshank, 1800.
  • A woman holding her stomach and vomiting into a bucket after self administering an emetic. Coloured etching by I. Cruikshank, 1800.
  • Illustrations of the power of emetic tartar, in the cure of inflammation, and asthma; and in preventing consumption and apoplexy / [William Balfour].
  • Illustrations of the power of emetic tartar, in the cure of inflammation, and asthma; and in preventing consumption and apoplexy / [William Balfour].
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Etching by J. Gillray, 1804, after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching after J. Gillray after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching after J. Gillray after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching after J. Gillray after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching after J. Gillray after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching by J. Gillray, 1804, after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching by J. Gillray, 1804, after J. Sneyd.
  • A grimacing invalid seated before a bowl having received an emetic, another man clasps his head compassionately. Coloured etching by J. Gillray, 1804, after J. Sneyd.
  • Plumbago auriculata Blume Plumbaginaceae Plumbago, Leadwort. Distribution: South Africa. It is used traditionally to treat warts, broken bones and wounds. It is taken as a snuff for headaches and as an emetic to dispel bad dreams. A stick of the plant is placed in the thatch of huts to ward off lightning.” Iwou (1993) reports other Plumbago species are used to cause skin blistering, treat leprosy, induce blistering, and to treat piles, parasites and to induce abortions. The genus name derives from the Latin for lead, but authors differ as to whether it was used as a treatment of lead poisoning, or that when it was used for eye conditions the skin turned the colour of lead. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Albizia julibrissin Durazz. Fabaceae. Persian silk tree. Called 'shabkhosb' in Persian, meaning 'sleeping tree' as the pinnate leaves close up at night. Tropical tree. Named for Filippo degli Albizzi, an Italian naturalist, who brought seeds from Constantinople to Florence in 1749, and introduced it to European horticulture. The specific epithet comes from the Persian 'gul-i abrisham' which means 'silk flower'. Distribution: South Africa to Ethiopia, Senegal, Madagascar, Asia. Bark is poisonous and emetic and antihelminthic. Various preparations are widely used for numerous conditions and the oxitocic albitocin is abortifacient. However, studies on the seeds and bark of other Albizia species in Africa, demonstrate it is highly toxic, half a kilogram of seeds given to a quarter ton bull, killed it in two hours (Neuwinger, 1996). A useful tree for controlling soil erosion, producing shade in coffee plantations, and as a decorative shade tree in gardens. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Albizia julibrissin Durazz. Fabaceae. Persian silk tree. Called 'shabkhosb' in Persian, meaning 'sleeping tree' as the pinnate leaves close up at night. Tropical tree. Named for Filippo degli Albizzi, an Italian naturalist, who brought seeds from Constantinople to Florence in 1749, and introduced it to European horticulture. The specific epithet comes from the Persian 'gul-i abrisham' which means 'silk flower'. Distribution: South Africa to Ethiopia, Senegal, Madagascar, Asia. Bark is poisonous and emetic and antihelminthic. Various preparations are widely used for numerous conditions and the oxitocic albitocin is abortifacient. However, studies on the seeds and bark of other Albizia species in Africa, demonstrate it is highly toxic, half a kilogram of seeds given to a quarter ton bull, killed it in two hours (Neuwinger, 1996). A useful tree for controlling soil erosion, producing shade in coffee plantations, and as a decorative shade tree in gardens. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Viola canina L. Violaceae Distribution: Europe. Culpeper (1650) writes 'Violets (to whit the blew ones, for I know little or no use of the white ones in physic) ... provoke sleep, loosen the belly, resist fevers, help inflammations, ... ease pains in the head, help the roughness of the windpipe, soreness in the throat, inflammations in the breast and sides, pleurisies, open stoppings of the liver and help the yellow jaundice'. 'Violet leaves, they are cool, ease pains in the head proceeding of heat, and frenzies, either inwardly taken or outwardly applied, heat of the stomach, or inflammation of the lungs.' It still has the same reputation in modern herbal medicine, and while its safety is not known, it is regarded as edible and flowers are used to garnish salads. Larger quantities are emetic – make one vomit. Not licensed for use in Traditional Herbal Medicines in the UK (UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A woman holding a man's head while he is sick into a bowl. Coloured lithograph.
  • A sick old woman seated between two doctors each prescribing different medication; representing Wellington's and Russell's opposing political views. Coloured etching, 1831.
  • A small child attempts to ask a pharmacist for some ipecacuanha, but only succeeds in babbling excrementally. Colour photomechanical reproduction of a lithograph, c. 1900.
  • 'Philijpÿn' helps a donkey to vomit while a 'Doctor Financier' examines a urine sample;; representing the state of Spain under the monarchy of King Philip V. Etching attributed to A. Allard, 1711.
  • Veratrum viride (American hellebore). Also known as false hellebore.
  • The rulers of Europe as doctors prescribing remedies for Empress Maria Theresa. Etching and letterpress, 1742.
  • Cucumber, (Cucumis prophetarum): flowering and fruiting stems with sectioned fruit. Coloured engraving after F. von Scheidl, 1770.
  • Hedge hyssop (Gratiola officinalis L.): entire flowering plant with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Personifications of medicine, pharmacy and surgery. Oil painting after (?) Nicolas de Larmessin.
  • Personifications of medicine, pharmacy and surgery. Oil painting after (?) Nicolas de Larmessin.
  • Personifications of medicine, pharmacy and surgery. Oil painting after (?) Nicolas de Larmessin.