Pharmaceutical Labels
- Date:
- 1886-1949
- Reference:
- WF/M/GB/27
- Part of:
- Wellcome Foundation Ltd
- Archives and manuscripts
About this work
Description
Primarily examples of labels for company products, retained in chronological order of production. Labels for product bottles or boxes were printed in-house. This is a comprehensive set of examples which show product names and often give dosages. The labels were then pasted onto the bottles - in the early years by hand rather than machines. This job was carried out by 'girls' (women usually between the ages of 14-18) with an older woman supervising. Women were deemed to be more suited to this precise small scale work.
The items in the volume consist of printed sheets, where more than one type of product label was printed on the sheet. These were possibly proof sheets for aditing by the Advertising Department with the final sheets being for one product. The labels were pasted into the volumes in chronological order, sometimes with the date indicated.
Occasionally items appear that are not labels but other BW printed material such as circulars. Where this is the case the catalogue indicates this clearly.
PRINTING CONVENTIONS
Most labels for 'Tabloid' products appear printed on blue paper.
Most labels for 'Soloid' products appear on red paper.
Most labels for poisons appear on green paper.
Colours used in other labels and items vary widely.
Sometimes Tabloid products are given a number as well as a name, for example Morphine Sulphate No. 4 and Morphine Sulphate No. 5. These numbers are given in descriptions. Numbers could be used to indicated that there was a difference in strength or concentration between two or more products.