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  • Three female hunters carrying dead animals and birds on poles on their shoulders. Gouache on cloth, tipped onto silk over boards, Central Asia (?), 18--.
  • A man from central Asia, carrying a sword and a shield. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.
  • Glaucium flavum Crantz Papaveraceae Yellow horned poppy. Distribution: North Africa, Western Asia to Europe. Contains glaucine which is toxic but in small doses may be bronchodilator. As Papaver corniculatum luteum it was known to Parkinson (1640) who reports it as bitter, so advises taking it in honey, as a purgative and analgesic
  • Rosa gallica L. Rosaceae Distribution: S & C Europe, Western Asia. Culpeper: “Red roses cool, bind, strengthen both vital and animal virtue, restores such as are in consumptions, strengthen. Notes: Rose water and distilled oil of roses have been used in herbal medicine for over a thousand years, and are still used in aromatherapy. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Rhodiola rosea L. Crassulaceae Golden root, roseroot Distribution: Arctic, Eastern North America, mountains of central Asia. Herbalists regard it as having curative properties for diseases as diverse as cancer, influenza, depression and other conditions. It has not been licensed for use in manufactured herbal medicines in the UK. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Ornithogalum umbellatum L. Hyacinthaceae Star of Bethlehem, Grass lily. Distribution: Central Europe, SW Asia, NW Africa. All parts are poisonous, especially the bulbs. The toxin is a cardiac glycoside with effects similar to digoxin, vomiting, cardiac irregularities and death in humans and livestock. Only used for decoration by Native Americans (it is a non-native plant that has escaped into the wild from cultivation) and called Sleepydick (Moerman, 1998). One of its toxins is Convallotoxin, also present in Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Salvia nemorosa L. Lamiaceae Woodland sage. Balkan clary Distribution: Central Europe, Western Asia. Most of the historical medicinal literature is on common sage, Salvia officinalis. The name Salvia meaning 'healthy'. Elizabeth Blackwell (1737) wrote that it had "... all the noble Properties of the other hot Plants more especially for the Head, Memory, Eyes, and all Paralytical Affections. In short, 'tis a Plant endu'd with so many and wonderful Properties, as that the assiduous use of it is said to render Men Immortal" with which Hans Sloane agreed. Linnaeus (1782) also: 'Timor, Languor, Leucorrhoea, Senectus [fear, tiredness, white vaginal discharge, old age]'. Its health giving and immortality conferring properties were recorded in the aphorisms of the School of Salerno (fl 9-13th century) - quoted in the Decameron [c.1350, translated: Why should man die when Salvia grows in the Garden']. Some salvias, such as Salvia divinorum contain hallucinogenic compounds. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link Fabaceae. Common broom, Genista. Distribution: Western and central Europe. Culpeper (1650) writes: 'Genista. Broom: … clense and open the stomach, break the stone in the reins [kidneys] and bladder, help the green sickness [anaemia]. Let such as are troubled with heart qualms or faintings, forbear it, for it weakens the heart and spirit vital' and in respect of the flowers he writes: 'Broome-flowers, purge water, and are good in dropsies [now regarded as heart failure with fluid retention].' Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Galega officinalis L. Fabaceae. Goat's Rue. Distribution: Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor. Culpeper (1650) writes that it ‘... resists poison, kills worms, resists the falling sickness [epilepsy], resisteth the pestilence.’ Galega officinalis contains guanidine which reduces blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance and inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis.. Metformin and Phenformin are drugs for type II diabetes that rely on this group of chemicals, known as biguanidines. Its name gala, meaning milk plus ega meaning 'to bring on', refers to its alleged property of increasing milk yield, and has been used in France to increase milk yield in cows. officinalis refers to its use in the offices of the monks, and is a common specific name for medicinal plants before 1600 and adopted by Linnaeus (1753). The fresh plant tastes of pea pods. 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.
  • Oenothera macrocarpa Nutt. Onagraceae. Ozark Sundrops, Bigfruit Evening Primrose. Formerly O. missouriensis. Distribution: South central USA. O. macrocarpa does not appear to have been used medicinally, but other species are so used. Austin (2004) records that O. biennis (Evening Primrose) was used by Native Americans as a potherb in West Virginia. Leaves as salad, roots boiled like potato also infusion to treat obesity and relieve piles (Cherokee)
  • Niagara River: a steam train travelling on a bridge over the river between Canada and the USA. Wood engraving, 1862.
  • Tibet: Kamba Bombo warns Sven Hedin not to proceed further south towards Lhasa. Drawing by F.C. Dickinson, 1902, after Sven Hedin.
  • Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue Spire'
  • A group of young gay men wearing grey t-shirts with a question 'Which one of us is gay?' and a list of national contacts for free confidential support groups for gay men in Australia; advertisement by the AFAO [Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations] and Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men's Health Centre. Colour lithograph.
  • A group of young gay men wearing grey t-shirts with a question 'Which one of us is gay?' and a list of national contacts for free confidential support groups for gay men in Australia; advertisement by the AFAO [Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations] and Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men's Health Centre. Colour lithograph.
  • A son hugs his mother with a message about how she came to terms with him being gay; advertisement by the AFAO [Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations] and Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men's Health Centre. Colour lithograph.
  • A young man wearing a chain bearing a cross with a message about how he is proud to be gay and a list of national contacts for free confidential support groups for gay men in Australia; advertisement by the AFAO [Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations] and Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men's Health Centre. Colour lithograph.
  • Peking, Pechili province, China: a camel with its owner. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.
  • Peking, Pechili province, China: a camel with its owner. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.
  • Peking, Pechili province, China: a camel with its owner. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.
  • Peking, Pechili province, China: a camel with its owner. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.
  • Malus domestica 'Court Pendu Plat'
  • Canton, Kwangtung (Guangdong) province, China: two seated musicians. Photograph by John Thomson, 1869.
  • Canton, Kwangtung (Guangdong) province, China: two seated musicians. Photograph by John Thomson, 1869.
  • A man and woman read a list of advice regarding sexual health on a wall representing an AIDS prevention advertisement by Amref, Tanzania. Colour lithograph, ca. 1996.
  • A woman wearing a head scarf holds up a condom to a man who beckons her towards a bed; a safe-sex and AIDS prevention advertisement by Amref and Mutan, Tanzania. Colour lithograph, ca. 1995.
  • A woman and a man holding a bottle enter the 'Santa Guest House' as two men sitting at a table drinking look on; a safe-sex and AIDS prevention advertisement by Amref and Mutan, Tanzania. Colour lithograph, ca. 1996.
  • Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver'
  • Map of health