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Stories

  • 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.

  • Article

The extraordinary body of Evatima Tardo

Darling of 19th-century American freak shows, Evatima Tardo remained serene as she withstood crucifixion and the bites of poisonous snakes. But she took the secret behind her abilities to her grave.

  • Article

Plant portraits

The beautiful and mysterious illustrations in medieval herbals convey a wealth of knowledge about the plants they portray.

  • 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 (5)

Images

  • Two poisonous snakes (Indian cobras): four figures showing the snakes' hoods, seen from above and below, indicating the distinctive 'spectacle'and 'V-shaped' markings. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake, brown in colour with darker oblong patches: includes three outline drawings of the head. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake, Indian cobra: illustration shows 'spectacle' marking on the snake's hood and includes two details of the head and an outline drawing of the tail. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • The strangling of a poisonous snake, representing the crushing of tuberculosis. Colour lithograph after G. Dorival and G. Capon, ca. 1918.
  • A poisonous snake, green in colour with yellow and green underbelly: includes two outline drawings of the head. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake, dark brown in colour with pale patches edged with black: includes outline drawing of the tail. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake, dark brown in colour with darker oblong patches edged with white: includes three outline drawings of the head. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake, yellow in colour, with broad grey cross-banded markings: includes a detail of the tail and two outline drawings of the head. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A poisonous snake (bungarus caeruleus), dark in colour, with narrow white cross-banded markings: includes two outline drawings of the head and one of the tail. Watercolour, ca. 1795.
  • A medicine vendor selling antidotes to snake poison. Etching by G.M. Mitelli.
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Catalogue

All works (168)