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  • Surgical lectures; notes taken by an unknown student, probably at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. Date uncertain, probably c.1815 (paper is watermarked 1810).
  • Drawing of huts in a World War II Prisoner of War camp, probably Tamuang, Thailand, part of the Burma-Thailand Railway. By an unknown artist
  • Front cover of 'Chodo Zue'; A collection of monochrome designs for 'tansu' and acessories like boxes for combs and writing sets; the compiler Aoki Hisakuni is otherwise unknown
  • Double page from 'Chodo Zue'; A collection of monochrome designs for 'tansu' and acessories like boxes for combs and writing sets; the compiler Aoki Hisakuni is otherwise unknown
  • Mr. Lambkin walking down a street on his way to court a lady, unknown to him a placard has been stuck on to his back declaring his intentions to all. Lithograph by G. Cruikshank.
  • Ancient topography of London; containing not only views of buildings which in many instances no longer exist, and for the most part were never before published; but some account of places and customs either unknown, or overlooked by the London historians / By John Thomas Smith.
  • Islamic map of the world. The north is at the bottom, with the west to the right surrounded by unknown seas. The Indian Ocean, with the Red Sea, is on the left, with China, India and Iran in boxes to the right. The other sea shown is the Mediterranean next to which is a black square indicating Rome and a circle Constantinople. The Nile flows from the Mediterranean to the east and into the north then turn east and head towards a large circle indicating its source in Africa.
  • Nepal; Sherpa porters in the Khumbu, 1986. Well-dressed Sherpa porters prepare for a trekking expedition organised for a party of western vacationists. They will guide, bring up the rear, cook and strike camp. Such expeditions pay cash wages far in excess of anything Sherpas could hope to earn elsewhere and such income is invested in loans, cattle, land, tradeable articles and jewellery. Until the influx of mountaineering expeditions following Hillary's Everest climb (1953), western medicine was unknown in the Khumbu. Distribution of mainly analgesic and antibiotic drugs has led to misuse.
  • The Key to unknowne knowledge. Or, a shop of five windowes ... Consisting of five necessarie treatises: namely, 1. The Judgement of urines. 2. Judiciall rules of physicke. 3. Questions of oyles. 4. Opinions for curing of harquebush-shot. 5. A discourse of humane nature.
  • The Key to unknowne knowledge. Or, a shop of five windowes ... Consisting of five necessarie treatises: namely, 1. The Judgement of urines. 2. Judiciall rules of physicke. 3. Questions of oyles. 4. Opinions for curing of harquebush-shot. 5. A discourse of humane nature.
  • Capsicum annuum 'Masquerade' Distribution: Central and South America. This ‘domesticated species’ originated from Mexico (although the centre of Capsicum evolution was much earlier and from Bolivia) and includes the bland salad peppers and the hot chilli peppers, of which capsaicin (sometimes called capsicain), from the lining of the inside of the chilli, is the main active ingredient. Chilli comes from the Aztec language of the Nahuatl people. It was reputedly introduced to Europe by Columbus in the mid-15th century, but was cultivated in Mexico since 4,000 BCE and used in cooking since 7,200 BCE. After its introduction to Europe, its cultivation very rapidly became world-wide. It appears first as a description (Bock, 1539) with the name teutschem Pfeffer. The first illustration, as Siliquastrum, appears in Historia Stirpes commentarii insignis (Fuchs, 1542). Fuchs did not realise it came from the Americas, as he identified it as a plant described by Pliny, Dioscorides and Avicenna and gave their uses of it. It appear in Dodoen's Cruydeboeck (1551) and Lyte's translation (1557) with the note that it is 'hot and drie in the third degree.' He recommended it for dressing meat, and noted that it 'warmeth the stomach' and was good for a sore throat, scrofula, and topically got rid of spots. Fuch's had reported these properties as being described by Avicenna, but what that plant was is unknown. Lindley (1838) wrote: 'It is employed in medicine, in combination with Cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections, and also in atonic gout, dyspepsia accompanied by flatulence, tympanitis, paralysis etc. Its most valuable application appears however to be in cynanche maligna [=severe sore throat, with impending suffocation] and scarlatina maligna [=severe scarlet fever], used either as a gargle or administered internally.' However, its principal use medically has been in pain relief, applied locally for pain from muscle injury to post herpetic neuralgia. Capsaicin acts on the pain and heat sensing neurones to make them trigger the sensation of pain at body temperature. Repeated exposure to capsaicin depletes the neurotransmitter substance P that is used to perceive pain, so the relevant nerves no longer transmit the sensation of pain/heat from any cause. It is a banned substance in the equestrian events at the Olympics because of its ability to stop perception of pain. Capsaicin has been shown, experimentally, to kill cancer cells by attacking their mitochondria. Particular interest has concentrated on its ability to reduce the size of tumours of the pancreas and prostate. Various cultivars are used in cooking, and the strength (i.e. how hot they are) is measured in Scoville units. A standard chilli pepper used in England would be around 5,000 Scovilles, the hottest peppers are rated over one million Scoville units. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Ultimate Pulse
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Governor Vessel (dumai)
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Clay Ball Pulse
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Yin Heel Vessel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Unravelling pulse
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Hidden Pulse (fumai)
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Belt Vessel
  • Chinese MS acu-moxa point chart: Small Intestine channel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Wiry Pulse (xianmai)
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Rope Untying pulse
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Tough Pulse (laomai)
  • Chinese MS acu-moxa point chart: Gall bladder channel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Soggy Pulse (rumai)
  • Chinese MS acu-moxa point chart: Triple Burner channel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Marble pulse
  • Chinese MS acu-moxa point chart: Liver channel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Soup Fat Pulse
  • Chinese MS acu-moxa point chart:Heart channel
  • Chinese/Japanese Pulse Image chart: Full Pulse (shimai)