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208 results
  • Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities. Engraving.
  • Ancient Roman and Greek surgical instruments (1-9)
  • Greek and Roman sculpture in the Wellcome Collection
  • Ancient Roman and Greek surgical instruments (A-G):
  • Roman and Greek bronze spatulae some with probe-ends
  • Ancient Greek and Roman wind and string instruments. Engraving by J. Pass, 1818.
  • Ancient Greek and Roman wind and string instruments. Engraving by J. Pass, 1818.
  • A Roman soldier and an old man walking among colossal Greek and Roman inscriptions and reliefs; a Greek fragment representing horses and a man's head in the foreground. Etching by A. Cardon after G. Bracci, ca. 1766.
  • A Roman altar, a Greek metal vase and an Etruscan altar. Etching by L. Roccheggiani, ca. 1811.
  • A curule chair, a Greek metal candelabra, a bowl supported by sphinxes, a Roman standard, a clay torch and a Roman dagger. Etching by L. Roccheggiani, ca. 1811.
  • Wigs classified into five different orders in a parody of the orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Etching by W. Hogarth, 1761.
  • The British Museum, London: a gallery of Greek, Roman and Egyptian sculptures, with visitors admiring a copyist's work. Engraving by R. Sands after T. Allom.
  • Eucomis comosa (Houtt.)H.R.Wehrh. Hyacinthaceae Pineapple flower. From the Greek eu comis meaning 'good hair' referring to the tuft of leaves on top of the flowers. Comosa being Latin for 'with a tuft' referring to the same thing. Used in South African 'muthi' medicine. Enemas of Eucomis autumnalis are used in Africa to treat low backache, to aid postoperative recovery and to speed the healing of fractures. Decoctions are taken for the treatment of everything from hangovers to syphilis. The active ingredients include homisoflavones, which have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic activity (van Wyk et al, 2000) Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Eucomis comosa (Houtt.)H.R.Wehrh. Hyacinthaceae Pineapple flower. From the Greek eu comis meaning 'good hair' referring to the tuft of leaves on top of the flowers. Comosa being Latin for 'with a tuft' referring to the same thing. Used in South African 'muthi' medicine. Enemas of Eucomis autumnalis are used in Africa to treat low backache, to aid postoperative recovery and to speed the healing of fractures. Decoctions are taken for the treatment of everything from hangovers to syphilis. The active ingredients include homisoflavones, which have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic activity (van Wyk et al, 2000). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • The book of the feet, a history of boots and shoes. With illustrations of the fashions of the Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks and Romans, and the prevailing style throughout Europe during the Middle Ages down to the present period; Also hints to last makers and remedies for corns, etc., etc / J. Sparkes Hall.
  • The book of the feet, a history of boots and shoes. With illustrations of the fashions of the Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks and Romans, and the prevailing style throughout Europe during the Middle Ages down to the present period; Also hints to last makers and remedies for corns, etc., etc / J. Sparkes Hall.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Iconologia: or, moral emblems .... Wherein are express'd various images of virtues, vices, passions, etc. as design'd by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and modern Italians ... / illustrated with ... humane figures, with their explanations; newly design'd, and engraven ... by I. Fuller ... and other masters. By the care and at the charge of P. Tempest.
  • Euphorbia milii Des Moul. Euphorbiaceae. Crown of Thorns - so called because of its very spiny stems. Distribution: Madagascar. The latex contains a copper-containing amine oxidase, a lectin, lipase, peroxidase, and a diamine oxidase. In vitro the latex is synergistic with ketoconazole against Candida albicans (thrush). All Euphorbia have a toxic white latex, and in Europe this has been used as a folk remedy to treat warts. It can cause skin allergies and the smoke from burning them is toxic. the genus named for Euphorbus (fl. circa 10 BC – 20 AD), the Greek physician to the Berber King Juba II (c. 50 BC – 23 AD) of Numidia, Euphorbia milii is one of the tropical spurges, with fierce, cactus-like spines, grown as a house plant. The sap of spurges is used in folk medicine for treating warts (not very effective), and, historically, as a purgative - the word spurge being derived from the French word for purgation. The sap (probably dried) was administered inside a fig because it is so corrosive that it would otherwise burn the mouth and oesophagus – a technique used today, rather more subtly, with ‘enteric coated’ medications. The sap contains a potential anti-leukaemic chemical, lasiodoplin, and is also used in drainage ditches to kill the snails which carry the parasitic trematode which causes fasciolaris. It does not kill the fish. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Valeriana officinalis L. Valerianaceae Valerianus, Phu, Nardus sylvestris, Setwal. Distribution: Europe. Popular herbalism attributes sedation to Valerian, but this is not mentioned by Coles (1657) or Gerard (1633) or Lobel (1576) or Lyte (1578) or Dioscorides (ex Gunther, 1959) or Fuchs (1553), where he quotes Pliny, Dioscorides and Galen, or Parkinson (1640), or Pomet (1712). The English translation of Tournefort (1719-1730) covers a whole page of the uses of all the different valerians, but never mentions sedation or treating anxiety. Quincy (1718) does not mention it. Because it was used in epilepsy, for which Woodville (1792) says it was useless, Haller, in his Historia stirpium indegenarum Helvetae inchoatae (1768) advocates it for those with irritability of the nervous system, as does Thomson's London Dispensatory (1811) although he lists it as an 'antispasmodic and stimulant' and for inducing menstruation. Lindley (1838) notes (as many did) that the roots smell terrible and that this makes cats excited, and in man, in large doses, induce 'scintillations, agitation and even convulsions' so used in asthenic fever, epilepsy, chorea, hysteria and as an antihelminthic.' Fluckiger & Hanbury (1879) give a wonderful account of the history of its names, but give its use as 'stimulant and antispasmodic' as do Barton & Castle (1877). but by 1936 (Martindale's Extra Pharmacopoeia) its only use was 'Given in hysterical and neurotic conditions as a sedative. Its action has been attributed to its unpleasant smell'. The European Medicines Agency (2006) approves its use as a traditional herbal medicine for mild anxiety and sleeplessness for up to 4 weeks. Despite what is written continuously about its use in ancient Greece and Rome, the only reason for its use has been because it was thought, for a brief while, to be good for epilepsy and therefore might deal with persons of a nervous disposition because of its foul smell. It has been suggested that even its Greek name, 'Phu' came from the expression of disgust which is made when one sniffs an unpleasant odour. For 1,800 years, before the last century, no-one had thought it sedative. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Atropa belladonna L. Solanaceae. Deadly nightshade. Dwale. Morella, Solatrum, Hound's berries, Uva lupina, Cucubalus, Solanum lethale. Atropa derives from Atropos the oldest of the three Fates of Greek mythology who cut the thread of Life (her sisters Clotho and Lachesis spun and measured the thread, respectively). belladonna, literally, means 'beautiful lady' and was the Italian name for it. Folklore has it that Italian ladies put drops from the plant or the fruits in their eyes to make themselves doe-eyed, myopic and beautiful. However, this is not supported by the 16th and 17th century literature, where no mention is ever made of dilated pupils (or any of the effects of parasympathetic blockade). Tournefort (1719) says 'The Italians named this plant Belladonna, which in their language signifies a beautiful woman, because the ladies use it much in the composition of their Fucus [rouge or deceit or cosmetic] or face paint.' Parkinson says that the Italian ladies use the distilled juice as a fucus '... peradventure [perhaps] to take away their high colour and make them looke paler.' I think it more likely that they absorbed atropine through their skin and were slightly 'stoned' and disinhibited, which made them beautiful ladies in the eyes of Italian males. Distribution: Europe, North Africa, western Asia. Culpeper (1650) writes: 'Solanum. Nightshade: very cold and dry, binding … dangerous given inwardly … outwardly it helps the shingles, St Antonie's Fire [erysipelas] and other hot inflammation.' Most of the 16th, 17th and 18th century herbals recommend it topically for breast cancers. Poisonous plants were regarded as 'cold' plants as an excess of them caused death and the body became cold. They were regarded as opposing the hot humour which kept us warm and alive. Poultices of Belladonna leaves are still recommended for muscle strain in cyclists, by herbalists. Gerard (1633) writes that it: 'causeth sleep, troubleth the mind, bringeth madnesse if a few of the berries be inwardly taken, but if more be taken they also kill...'. He was also aware that the alkaloids could be absorbed through the skin for he notes that a poultice of the leaves applied to the forehead, induces sleep, and relieves headache. The whole plant contains the anticholinergic alkaloid atropine, which blocks the peripheral actions of acetylcholine in the parasympathetic nervous system. Atropine is a racemic mixture of d- and l- hyoscyamine. Atropine, dropped into the eyes, blocks the acetylcholine receptors of the pupil so it no longer constricts on exposure to bright light - so enabling an ophthalmologist to examine the retina with an ophthalmoscope. Atropine speeds up the heart rate, reduces salivation and sweating, reduces gut motility, inhibits the vertigo of sea sickness, and is used to block the acetylcholine receptors to prevent the effects of organophosphorous and other nerve gas poisons. It is still has important uses in medicine. Atropine poisoning takes three or for days to wear off, and the hallucinations experienced by its use are described as unpleasant. We have to be content with 'madness', 'frenzie' and 'idle and vain imaginations' in the early herbals to describe the hallucinations of atropine and related alkaloids as the word 'hallucination' in the sense of a perception for which there is no external stimulus, was not used in English until 1646 (Sir T. Browne, 1646). It is a restricted herbal medicine which can only be sold in premises which are registered pharmacies and by or under the supervision of a pharmacist (UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Adonis vernalis L. Ranunculaceae. Pheasant's eye, the golden flowered spring (or vernal) Adonis, is named in memory of Adonis, the Greek god of plants, who disappeared into the earth in the winter and reappeared in the spring. The flowers were said to have sprung from his blood when he was gored to death by a wild boar, but this plant must have been the blood red Adonis aestivalis, the summer Adonis. Distribution: Eurasia to Spain and Sweden. Gerard (1633) recommends it for renal stone and intestinal colic. Lewis & Elvin Lewis (2003) note it is poisonous, containing cardiac glycosides (adonitoxin, cymarin, K-strophanthin) and flavonoids. The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)) bans its use for ingestion 'no dose permitted' but allow it to be prescribed by a herbal practitioner on a one-to-one consultation. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.