Pharmagraphics

Drawings and designs are an essential part of the history of pharmacy. Whether it's imparting knowledge in medieval herbals, stamping their authority on regulations and standards, or promoting their wares in adverts and signs, apothecaries and pharmacists have always understood the value of graphic imagery.

1 - 6

Plant portraits

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

The poor child’s nurse

Charming family scenes in Victorian ads for children’s medicines were at odds with some of the dangerous ingredients they contained.

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.

The chymist’s trade card

An 18th-century trade card reveals far more than its owner may have intended.

Graphic battles in pharmacy

James Morison’s campaign against the medical establishment inspired a wave of caricatures mocking his quack medicine.

The origins of pharmaceutical symbols

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