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  • Article

Our endless quest for eternal youth

From poisonous 16th-century cosmetics to the latest “vampire facelift”, discover the fashions in unsavoury methods for improving our appearance.

  • Article

Fake news and the flu

Discover how history shows that fake news could play a deadly role – by generating potentially lethal misinformation during a future pandemic.

  • Book extract

Renaissance women and their killer cosmetics

In this extract from ‘How to be a Renaissance Woman’, Jill Burke delves into a complex world of beauty products, poison and patriarchy – and reveals the impossible contradictions of femininity faced by 16th-century women.

  • 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.

All stories (43)

Images

  • Animals (cruel poisons) act, 1962 / C.W. Hume.
  • Chinese C18 woodcut: External medicine - 'damp poisons'
  • A mechanical account of poisons in several essays / By Richard Mead.
  • A mechanical account of poisons in several essays / By Richard Mead.
  • Urgent request to supporters of UFAW : cruel poisons ... the Deer (England and Wales ) bill ... / UFAW.
  • Illustrations of the effects of poisons : by George Leith Roupell ; the plates from original drawings by Andrew Melville M'Whinnie.
  • Illustrations of the effects of poisons : by George Leith Roupell ; the plates from original drawings by Andrew Melville M'Whinnie.
  • Traité sur le vénin de la vipere, sur les poisons americains, sur le laurier-cerise et sur quelques autres poisons végetau / [Tr. by J. d'Arcet.] On y a joint des observations sur la structure primitive du corps animal. Différentes expériences sur la reproduction des nerfs, et la description d'un nouveau canal de l'œil. Par M.r Felix Fontana ... [Ed. by J. Gibelin].
  • Traité sur le vénin de la vipere, sur les poisons americains, sur le laurier-cerise et sur quelques autres poisons végetau / [Tr. by J. d'Arcet.] On y a joint des observations sur la structure primitive du corps animal. Différentes expériences sur la reproduction des nerfs, et la description d'un nouveau canal de l'œil. Par M.r Felix Fontana ... [Ed. by J. Gibelin].
  • Traité sur le vénin de la vipere, sur les poisons americains, sur le laurier-cerise et sur quelques autres poisons végetau / [Tr. by J. d'Arcet.] On y a joint des observations sur la structure primitive du corps animal. Différentes expériences sur la reproduction des nerfs, et la description d'un nouveau canal de l'œil. Par M.r Felix Fontana ... [Ed. by J. Gibelin].
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Events

  • Discussion

Pigments and Poisons

Viewing Room
Past

Part of Pharmacy of Colour

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