Wellcome uses cookies.

Read our policy
Wellcome Collection homepage
All
Stories
Images
Catalogue
Events
684 results
  • A man with his two children consulting a herb doctor and negotiating a prescription. Wood engraving.
  • Willow-herb (Epilobium sp.): flowering stem with separate rootstock, floral segment and seed. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1778.
  • [Leaflet about herb gardening (no.6 in a series of 8) from Kellogg's, also advertising their All-Bran high fibre breakfast cereal].
  • [Leaflet about herb gardening (no.6 in a series of 8) from Kellogg's, also advertising their All-Bran high fibre breakfast cereal].
  • Four flowering and fruiting plants: black bryony, herb Paris, common asparagus and butchers broom. Chromolithograph by W. Dickes & co., c. 1855.
  • Hanuman, the monkey god, brings a Himalayan mountain with the herb sanjeevani to cure his brother Lakshman. Watercolour painting by an Indian painter.
  • Ricola orange-mint : sugar free, refreshing, soothing, herbal extracts : Swiss herb lozenges / manufacturer: Ricola AG ; UK importer: Cedar Health Ltd.
  • Ricola orange-mint : sugar free, refreshing, soothing, herbal extracts : Swiss herb lozenges / manufacturer: Ricola AG ; UK importer: Cedar Health Ltd.
  • Ricola lemon-mint : sugar free, refreshing, soothing, herbal extracts : Swiss herb lozenges / manufacturer: Ricola AG ; UK importer: Cedar Health Ltd.
  • Ricola lemon-mint : sugar free, refreshing, soothing, herbal extracts : Swiss herb lozenges / manufacturer: Ricola AG ; UK importer: Cedar Health Ltd.
  • [Leaflet advertising Prostasan, Bioforce (UK) Ltd.'s fresh herb tincture of Sabal serrulata to maintain the health of the urinary system in men].
  • [Leaflet advertising Prostasan, Bioforce (UK) Ltd.'s fresh herb tincture of Sabal serrulata to maintain the health of the urinary system in men].
  • Two entire flowering plants, a yellow crocus (Crocus species) and a herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia). Colour nature print by A. Auer, c. 1853.
  • The crusaders attack Jerusalem: Godfrey is wounded; an angel brings a medicinal herb to accomplish what the surgeon cannot. Etching by Antonio Tempesta, 16--.
  • The surgeon cannot extract an arrow from the thigh of Aeneas; Venus brings a medicinal herb to accomplish what the surgeon cannot. Oil painting after Virgil.
  • Hanuman, the monkey god, holds a mace in his right hand and a Himalayan mountain, with the herb sanjeevani , with his left. Gouache painting by an Indian painter.
  • Paris quadrifolia L. Trilliaceae Herb Paris Distribution: Europe and temperate Asia. This dramatic plant was known as Herb Paris or one-berry. Because of the shape of the four leaves, resembling a Burgundian cross or a true love-knot, it was also known as Herb True Love. Prosaically, the name ‘Paris’ stems from the Latin ‘pars’ meaning ‘parts’ referring to the four equal leaves, and not to the French capital or the lover of Helen of Troy. Sixteenth century herbalists such as Fuchs, who calls it Aconitum pardalianches which means leopard’s bane, and Lobel who calls it Solanum tetraphyllum, attributed the poisonous properties of Aconitum to it. The latter, called monkshood and wolfsbane, are well known as poisonous garden plants. Gerard (1633), however, reports that Lobel fed it to animals and it did them no harm, and caused the recovery of a dog poisoned deliberately with arsenic and mercury, while another dog, which did not receive Herb Paris, died. It was recommended thereafter as an antidote to poisons. Coles (1657) wrote 'Herb Paris is exceedingly cold, wherupon it is proved to represse the rage and force of any Poyson, Humour , or Inflammation.' Because of its 'cold' property it was good for swellings of 'the Privy parts' (where presumably hot passions were thought to lie), to heal ulcers, cure poisoning, plague, procure sleep (the berries) and cure colic. Through the concept of the Doctrine of Signatures, the black berry represented an eye, so oil distilled from it was known as Anima oculorum, the soul of the eye, and 'effectual for all the disease of the eye'. Linnaeus (1782) listed it as treating 'Convulsions, Mania, Bubones, Pleurisy, Opththalmia', but modern authors report the berry to be toxic. That one poison acted as an antidote to another was a common, if incorrect, belief in the days of herbal medicine. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Teucrium fruticans L. Lamiaceae. Tree germander Distribution: Western Mediterranean. Teucrium is named after king Teucer (who lived in the era between 1400 and 1000 BC) the first King of Troy. Dioscorides named a medicinal herb after Teucer, and Linnaeus consolidated this in 1753
  • Teucrium chamaedrys L. Lamiaceae. Wall Germander. Distribution: Europe. Teucrium is named after king Teucer (who lived in the era between 1400 and 1000 BC) the first King of Troy. Dioscorides named a medicinal herb after Teucer, and Linnaeus consolidated this in 1753
  • Allium moly L., Alliaceae. Golden garlic. Bulbous herb. Distribution: Southwest Europe and Northwest Africa. This is not the 'moly' of Homer's Odyssey Book 10 lines 302-6 which describes Mercury giving Ulysses 'Moly', the antidote to protect himself against Circe's poison ''... The root was black, while the flower was as white as milk
  • Arbolayre, contenant la qualitey et vertus, proprietey des herbes.
  • Teucrium marum L. Lamiaceae Cat Thyme Distribution: Europe. Teucrium is named after Teucer (who lived in the era between 1400 and 1000 BC) the first King of Troy. Dioscorides named a medicinal herb after Teucer, and Linnaeus consolidated this in 1753. Assume property is the same as Germander, Teucrium chamaedrys. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Allium schoenoprasum L. Alliaceae. Chives. Bulbour perennial herb. 'schoenoprasm' means 'rush leek' in Greek, referring to the narrow leaves. Distribution: Asia, Europe and North America. Leaves used as a garnish on cooked food and in salads. However like others in Boraginaceae it contains the pyrrolizidine alkaloid cynoglossine which causes liver damage. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Joyfull newes out of the new-found worlde. Wherein are declared, the rare and singuler vertues of divers herbs, trees, plantes, oyles and stones, with their applications, as well to the use of phisicke, as of chirurgery ... Also the portrature of the said hearbs / ... Englished by John Frampton ... Newley corrected ... Whereunto are added three other bookes treating of the bezaar stone, the herb escuerconera, the properties of iron and steele, in medicine, and the benefit of snow.
  • [Leaflet advertising a range of herbs and books about phytotherapy from Homeostatic Herbs].
  • [Leaflet advertising a range of herbs and books about phytotherapy from Homeostatic Herbs].
  • Teucrium scorodonia 'Crispum Marginatum' L. Lamiaceae Distribution: Europe Teucrium is named after king Teucer (who lived in the era between 1400 and 1000 BC) the first King of Troy. Dioscorides named a medicinal herb after Teucer, and Linnaeus consolidated this in 1753. Probably the Scordium or Water Germander. It was given very similar properties. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Gentiana asclepiadea L. Gentianaceae. Gentian. Perennial herb. Distribution. Southern Europe and Caucasus. Named after Gentius, King of Illyria (the western Balkan Peninsula) in 181–168 BC. Gentius had a powerful navy of 270 warships (lembi) and like most kings of this era he fought constant wars, fighting with the Romans against Macedonia, and then changing sides only to be defeated and brought captive to Rome in 168 BC
  • Cedronella canariensis (L.)Webb & Berthel. Basionym Dracocephalum canariense. Lamiaceae. Canary balm, Balm-of-Gilead, Canary Island tea. It smells slightly resinous of cedar, hence the diminutive name Cedronella. Perennial herb. Distribution: Canary Islands. True Balm-of-Gilead is the sap of the poplar, Populus candicans. It was drunk as a tea, and the aroma was believed to relieve colds. No medicinal use. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Hypericum olympicum L. Clusiaceae. Mount Olympus St John's wort. Deciduous perennial herb. Distribution Greece, Asia minor. This is not the plant used for mood disturbances in herbal medicine which is Hypericum perforatum. However, all the 370 species of Hypericum are called 'St John's Wort' so a potential for confusion exists. It shares some of the chemicals thought to be active in Hypericum perforatum. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.