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Stories

  • Article

Theriac: An ancient brand?

The name theriac survived for around for two millennia as a pharmaceutical term. But a ‘brand’ name is not always a guarantee of quality.

  • Article

Womb milk and the puzzle of the placenta

A human baby needs milk to survive – and this holds true even before it’s born. Joanna Wolfarth explores “womb milk”, as well as ancient and modern ideas about the placenta.

  • Article

Black pepper to fuel fiery fights and cure haemorrhoids

This common condiment was once very valuable and, until surprisingly recently, used as a versatile medicine.

  • Article

The origins and meanings of pharmacy symbols

What have snakes, unicorns and crocodiles got to do with pharmacies? The history of these modern signs goes back to the Greek gods.

All stories (13)

Images

  • Roman bronze balance, excavated at Pompei.
  • Roman surgical instruments, Dr. Goldschmid correspondence
  • Case of Roman surgical instruments found in Germany
  • Roman altar with Greek inscription found at Chester in 1851
  • Roman artificial leg of bronze.
  • Roman strigils of Bronze one has a name stamped on the handle
  • Graeco-Roman bronze forceps, possibly dental.
  • Galēnou hapanta = Galeni Pergameni summi semper uiri, quique primus artem medicinae uniuersam, apud priores homines obscuram & ueluti errantem, in perspicuam quandam & propriam expositionem traduxit, opera omnia / ad fidem complurium & perquam uetustorum exemplariorum ita emendata atq[ue] restituta, ut nunc primum nata, atque in lucem aedita, uideri possint.
  • Galēnou hapanta = Galeni Pergameni summi semper uiri, quique primus artem medicinae uniuersam, apud priores homines obscuram & ueluti errantem, in perspicuam quandam & propriam expositionem traduxit, opera omnia / ad fidem complurium & perquam uetustorum exemplariorum ita emendata atq[ue] restituta, ut nunc primum nata, atque in lucem aedita, uideri possint.
  • Galēnou hapanta = Galeni Pergameni summi semper uiri, quique primus artem medicinae uniuersam, apud priores homines obscuram & ueluti errantem, in perspicuam quandam & propriam expositionem traduxit, opera omnia / ad fidem complurium & perquam uetustorum exemplariorum ita emendata atq[ue] restituta, ut nunc primum nata, atque in lucem aedita, uideri possint.
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