Wellcome uses cookies.

Read our policy
Wellcome Collection homepage
All
Stories
Images
Catalogue
Events
190 results
  • Asphodeline lutea Rchb. Yellow asphodel, King's spear, Hastula regia. Hardy rhizomatous perennial. Distribution Mediterranean and Caucasus. It is the flower of the dead, as Homer writes that it carpets an area in the gloomy darkness of the underworld (Hades), in Greek mythology where the souls of the dead are found. However this may be a misinterpretation of the Greek where 'Asphodel' has been read instead of 'ash-filled'. In the etymology of flower names, it is suggested that the yellow 'daffodil' is a corruption of French or Flemish 'de asphodel' (both ex Steve Reece, 2007). An Aristotelian epigram, refers to it growing on tombs: 'On my back I hold mallow and many-rooted asphodel ...' The asphodel was sacred to Persephone, goddess of the underworld, who was seized and wed by Hades, god of the underworld, and taken to his kingdom. Her disappearance brings the winter, and her reappearance each year, the spring. The only reliable source of information about its early medical uses is, probably, Dioscorides although the plant in his De Materia Medica may be A. ramosus or A. albus. He gives its properties as diuretic, induces menses, good for coughs and convulsions, an antidote to snake bite, applied as a poultice for sores of all sorts, and in compounds for eye, ear and tooth pains, and to cure alopecia and vitiligo, but induces diarrhoea and vomiting and is an anti-aphrodisiac. Fuchs (1542), as Ruel’s commentaries (1543) note, makes a big mistake as he has Lilium martagon as his concept of A. luteus. Ruel only illustrates its leaves and roots, calling it Hastula regia (Latin for King’s spear) but Matthiolus's Commentaries (1569 edition) has a reasonable woodcut also as Hastula regia (1569). Dodoen's Cruydeboeck (1556) does not mention or illustrate Asphodelus luteus. L'Escluse's French translation Histoire des Plantes (1557) follows the Cruydeboeck. Dodoen's Latin translation Stirpium Historia Pemptades Sex (1583) adds A. luteus with text and woodcut, with no uses. Henry Lyte's (1578) translation illustrates Asphodelus luteus as Asphodeli tertia species and 'Yellow affodyl' (vide etymology of 'daffodil') and also does not describe any uses for it. Gerard's translation The Herbal (1597 and 1633) continues the muddle and does not give any uses for this plant. Parkinson's comments (1640) on the lack of medicinal properties of asphodels, refer to quite different plants coming from wet areas in Lancashire, Scotland and Norway . He calls them pseudoasphodelus major and minor which he writes are called Asphodelus luteus palustris by Dodoens, and not 'King's Spear' which he illustrates with a good woodcut of A. luteus and calls it Asphodelus luteus minor. Once herbals started to be written in northern Europe, the knowledge of the arid loving, Asphodelus luteus of south east Europe was lost. 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.
  • A satyr wearing spectacles removes a thorn from the foot of a male faun while a female faun and boy satyr observe, with printed latin verse. Line engraving by G. Piccini after J. Muller after B. Spranger.
  • Narcissus and Echo. Engraving by F. Bartolozzi, 1791, after B. Luti.
  • Daphnis and Chloe (?). Etching by A.J. Annedouche after P.P. Prud'hon.
  • Hercules and Omphale. Engraving by J.B. Michel, 1779, after G.F. Romanelli.
  • Caduceus surmounted by Pegasus and cornucopiae
  • Daedalus attaching wings to the shoulders of his son Icarus. Stipple engraving by G.S. & E.G. Facius after C. Le Brun.
  • Daedalus and Icarus. Engraving by A.G.L. Desnoyers after C.P. Landon.
  • Alcmene giving birth to Hercules surrounded by attendants: in the background a woman is hitting another over the head with a stone. Line engraving by F. Bouttats the younger.
  • Daedalus attaching wings to the shoulders of his son, Icarus. Stipple engraving by G.S. and J.G. Facius, 1779, after C. Lebrun.
  • Leander and Hero; Iole and Hercules; Pan and Syrinx. Etching by P. Aquila after Annibale Carracci.
  • The centaur Nessus being shot by Hercules while carrying off Deianeira. Engraving by B. Franco.
  • The centaur Nessus carrying off Deianeira. Engraving by J. Audran after G. Reni.
  • The Vatican Meleager. Pencil drawing by J. Newton.
  • Ganymede. Stipple engraving by J. Condé, 1789, after T. Matteini.
  • Pill tile: Wellcome No. 1. Apollo with outstreched arms.
  • Jupiter holds Danae captive and comes to her in the form of a shower of gold coins which Cupid gathers and puts into his quiver. Engraving by N. Le Mire after A. Borel after Annibale Carracci.
  • Ganymede. Engraving by J. Outrim after D. Mazza.
  • Idomeneus prepares to sacrifice his son to Jupiter. Engraving by W. Skelton, 1793, after E.F. Burney.
  • The Vatican Meleager: front view. Etching by F. Perrier.
  • The Vatican Meleager: view of the boar's head side. Etching by F. Perrier.
  • Orpheus and Eurydice; Endymion and Diana (Artemis); the rape of Europa by Jupiter (Zeus). Etching by P. Aquila after Annibale Carracci.
  • Bacchus [Dionysus] and Ariadne. Engraving by P.S. van Gunst after Titian.
  • The death of Orpheus: Orpheus is seen defending himself on one knee against the Thracian women, who assault him with clubs, while a child escapes to the left. Heliogravure after an engraving.
  • A depiction of a Maenad holding a thyrsus aimed at the erect penis of a seated satyr. Colour process print, 1921.
  • A daughter of Niobe. Etching by F. Perrier, 1638.
  • Satyrs revelling in a bacchanalian celebration. Etching by A. Cioci, 1762, after A.D. Gabbiani.
  • Niobe and her daughter. Etching by F. Perrier, 1638.
  • Pagans worshipping a statue of Latona in preference to Niobe. Etching by G.B. Galestruzzi, 1656, after Polidoro da Caravaggio.