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  • A gold miner using a rock drill with a water spray in an attempt to prevent the occupational disease silicosis, caused by dust inhalation. Watercolour by Jane Jackson.
  • Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. Ranunculaceae Distribution: Europe. Lindley (1838) and Woodville (1790) knew this as Anemone pulsatilla, the common name being Pasque (Easter) Flower. At the end of the 18th century it was recommended for blindness, cataracts, syphilis, strokes and much more, treatments which, as was clear to physicians at the time, were valueless. Gerard (1633) writes: ‘They serve only for the adorning of gardens and garlands, being floures of great beauty’. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, all members of which are poisonous. It was recommended, by mouth, for ‘obstinate case of taenia’ (tapeworms). One hopes it was more toxic to the worm than the patient. Flowers with a central disc and radiating florets were regarded as being good for eye complaints under the Doctrine of Signatures. Porta (1588) writes (translated): ‘Argemone [Papaver argemone], and anemone, have flowers of this shape, from this they cure ulcers and cloudiness of the cornea’. There were occupational diseases even before there were words like pneumoconiosis, and Lindley writes that ‘the powder of the root causes itching of the eyes, colic and vomiting, if in pulverising it the operator do not avoid the fine dust which is driven up.’ Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. Ranunculaceae. Pasque flower. Distribution: Europe. Lindley (1838) and Woodville (1790) knew this as Anemone pulsatilla, the common name being Pasque (Easter) Flower. At the end of the 18th century it was recommended for blindness, cataracts, syphilis, strokes and much more, treatments which, as was clear to physicians at the time, were valueless. Gerard (1633) writes: ‘They serve only for the adorning of gardens and garlands, being floures of great beauty’. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, all members of which are poisonous. It was recommended, by mouth, for ‘obstinate case of taenia’ (tapeworms). One hopes it was more toxic to the worm than the patient. Flowers with a central disc and radiating florets were regarded as being good for eye complaints under the Doctrine of Signatures. Porta (1588) writes (translated): ‘Argemone [Papaver argemone], and anemone, have flowers of this shape, from this they cure ulcers and cloudiness of the cornea’. There were occupational diseases even before there were words like pneumoconiosis, and Lindley writes that ‘the powder of the root causes itching of the eyes, colic and vomiting, if in pulverising it the operator do not avoid the fine dust which is driven up.’ Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. Ranunculaceae Pasque flower. Distribution: Europe. Lindley (1838) and Woodville (1790) knew this as Anemone pulsatilla, the common name being Pasque (Easter) Flower. At the end of the 18th century it was recommended for blindness, cataracts, syphilis, strokes and much more, treatments which, as was clear to physicians at the time, were valueless. Gerard (1633) writes: ‘They serve only for the adorning of gardens and garlands, being floures of great beauty’. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, all members of which are poisonous. It was recommended, by mouth, for ‘obstinate case of taenia’ (tapeworms). One hopes it was more toxic to the worm than the patient. Flowers with a central disc and radiating florets were regarded as being good for eye complaints under the Doctrine of Signatures. Porta (1588) writes (translated): ‘Argemone [Papaver argemone], and anemone, have flowers of this shape, from this they cure ulcers and cloudiness of the cornea’. There were occupational diseases even before there were words like pneumoconiosis, and Lindley writes that ‘the powder of the root causes itching of the eyes, colic and vomiting, if in pulverising it the operator do not avoid the fine dust which is driven up.’ Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • County of Wilts. : the contagious diseases (animals) act, 1878 : the animals order : notice is hereby given that the pigstye situate at Foxham, in the parish of Christian Malford, in the county of Wilts., in the occupation of Henry Freegard, is, by the Local Authority for the purposes of the above act, ordered, determined, and declared to be a place infected with swine fever... / by order, R.W. Merriman.
  • County of Wilts. : the contagious diseases (animals) act, 1878 : swine fever order, 1879 : notice is hereby given that the farm premises, called Gate Farm, in the parish of Bremhill, in the county of Wilts, in the occupation of Mr. Joseph Carpenter, are by the Local Authority for the purposes of the above act, ordered, determined, and declared to be places INFECTED WITH SWINE FEVER... / by order, R.W. Merriman.
  • County of Wilts. : the contagious diseases (animals) act, 1878 : the animals order : notice is hereby given that a pigstye situate at Studley, in the Parish of Bremhill, in the county of Wilts, in the occupation of Mrs. Eliza Chivers, is, by the Local Authority for the purposes of the above act, ordered, determined, and declared to be a place infected with SWINE FEVER, and that the limits of such pigstye are the limits of such infected place... / by order, R.W. Merriman.
  • County of Wilts. : the contagious diseases (animals) act, 1878 : the animals order : notice is hereby given that the pigstye situate at Patterdown Farm, in the parish of Chippenham, in the county of Wilts., in the occupation of Mr. William Dew, which by the Local Authority for the purposes of the above act, was, on the 27th day of November, 1884 ordered, determined, and declared to be a place INFECTED WITH SWINE FEVER, is now by the said local authority to be free from swine fever / by order, R.W. Merriman.
  • De morbis artificum diatriba / Bernardini Ramazzini.
  • Hotel des Invalides du Travail, Lyon: frontal view and ground plans. Process print, 1913.
  • A confrontation between two figures, representing industrial diseases being challenged by health gained from use of Morris Evans' remedies. Colour lithograph incorporating a design by W. Mitford Davies.
  • Pulsatilla vulgaris + Bombylius major
  • Land preparation: ploughing with water buffalo
  • Symmetrical gangrene of the tips of the ears
  • An inhabitant of Buruma Island, Uganda, suffering from sleeping sickness. Photograph, 1965, after photograph 1902.
  • A jester representing the disinfectant Papier d'Arménie scourges figures representing the infectious diseases cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and smallpox. Colour lithograph by A. Van Geleyn, ca. 1890.
  • A jester representing the disinfectant Papier d'Arménie scourges figures representing the infectious diseases cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and smallpox. Colour lithograph by A. Van Geleyn, ca. 1890.
  • A jester representing the disinfectant Papier d'Arménie scourges figures representing the infectious diseases cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and smallpox. Colour lithograph by A. Van Geleyn, ca. 1890.
  • A jester representing the disinfectant Papier d'Arménie scourges figures representing the infectious diseases cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and smallpox. Colour lithograph by A. Van Geleyn, ca. 1890.
  • Chinese opium smokers in a saloon experiencing various effects of the drug. Engraving by G. Paterson, 1843, after T. Allom.
  • Chinese opium smokers in a saloon experiencing various effects of the drug. Engraving by G. Paterson, 1843, after T. Allom.