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Alligators such as this one were once commonly hung from the ceilings of apothecary shops. They appear to have been symbols associated with the profession and one was even mentioned by William Shakespeare who, in Romeo and Juliet, describes an apothecary in which hangs “An alligator stuff’d, and other skins of ill-shaped fishes”.

Apothecaries and barber-surgeons were close professions and the latter also had similar creatures on display in their premises.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: England, United Kingdom

Model alligator, England, 1801-1900

An apothecary jar with painted labels and parchment cover.

Apothecary jar

'Matthew Manna, a country Apothecary'

A friar in an apothecary

Cox and Robinson, chemists and druggists, Stony Stratford, trade card.

Cox and Robinson, trade card

A selection of apothecary jars. 

Four glass cylindrical drug jars with a parchment cover, labelled
"Vitriol Alb." (zinc sulphate), "OCUL CANCR" (Crab's eyes - stones found in stomach of cray-fish as animal is about to change in its shell),"Sang Draco.V." (Dragon's blood), and "VITRIOL. COERUL." (copper sulphate). Probably Spanish, 17th or 18th century.

Selection of apothecary jars

Stuffed lizards were often to be found hanging from the ceilings of barber-surgeons’ premises. They appear to have been symbols associated with the profession. Barber-surgeons and apothecaries were close professions and the latter also had similar creatures on display in their premises.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Stuffed lizard, Europe, 1801-1900

Apothecary bottle used for scurvy-grass water.

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the exterior.

Apothecaries Act. First page. London H.M.S.O.

Apothecaries Act, 1815: first page.

Mortars (bowls) and pestles (grinding tools) are used in every medical tradition to prepare and grind herbs and plants for treatments. The pestle and mortar have now largely been replaced by modern machinery. This example would have ground tiny quantities of ingredients. The pestle is ridged for more effective grinding.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Syria

Small mill consisting of pestle with cutting edge and mortar

Apothecary's shop showing second wall.

Trade card. Rowlands Macasser Oil, etc., Hatton Garden, London.

Trade card, Rowlands Macasser Oil

Drug jars for Theriac.

Ames, Surgeon, Apothecary and Man-midwife

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the view of the front window and door with carboys in position.

Mills like this one were used to grind up substances for drugs. The ingredients were placed in the top cylinder and ground up by turning the handle on the top. The powder would collect in the drawer underneath. The drawer opens on to a bell-shaped platform which may have been used to prepare mixtures of drugs. This example is made from oak. The mill is made from iron and inlaid with ivory. This hand-worked mill would have been used in a pharmacy or apothecary shop.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Hand worked mill, Europe, 1701-1800

Hung outside a medical man’s premises, this painted wooden sign advertises the services of Farrant – a surgeon, apothecary and man-midwife. It dates from the 1700s. Births were usually attended by female midwives at this time. Only the wealthy could afford a trained male obstetrician. Farrant offered surgical skills but as an apothecary he also would have provided drugs.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: England, United Kingdom

Midwife surgeon-apothecary's signboard, England, 1701-1800

Jars for ingredients

Reconstruction of an apothecary's
shop, in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum and Library interior

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Model alligator, England, 1801-1900

Apothecary jar

'Matthew Manna, a country Apothecary'

A friar in an apothecary

Cox and Robinson, trade card

Selection of apothecary jars

Stuffed lizard, Europe, 1801-1900

Apothecary bottle used for scurvy-grass water.

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the exterior.

Apothecaries Act, 1815: first page.

Small mill consisting of pestle with cutting edge and mortar

Apothecary's shop showing second wall.

Trade card, Rowlands Macasser Oil

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the exterior.

Drug jars for Theriac.

Ames, Surgeon, Apothecary and Man-midwife

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the view of the front window and door with carboys in position.

Hand worked mill, Europe, 1701-1800

Midwife surgeon-apothecary's signboard, England, 1701-1800

Jars for ingredients

Reconstruction of an apothecary's shop

Advert for Tim Pill Box

Apothecary jar for iron oxide with painted label and parchment cover.

Jug Spanish: 17th century

Trade card for J. G. Bevan and Company, Cheltenham.

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Model alligator, England, 1801-1900

Apothecary jar

'Matthew Manna, a country Apothecary'

A friar in an apothecary

Cox and Robinson, trade card

Selection of apothecary jars

Stuffed lizard, Europe, 1801-1900

Apothecary bottle used for scurvy-grass water.

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the exterior.

Apothecaries Act, 1815: first page.

Small mill consisting of pestle with cutting edge and mortar

Apothecary's shop showing second wall.

Trade card, Rowlands Macasser Oil

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the exterior.

Drug jars for Theriac.

Ames, Surgeon, Apothecary and Man-midwife

Late 19th century chemist's shop formerly owned by N.F. Tyler. At 87 Abingdon Road, Kensington W 8. Photograph by Mr Michieli showing the view of the front window and door with carboys in position.

Hand worked mill, Europe, 1701-1800

Midwife surgeon-apothecary's signboard, England, 1701-1800

Jars for ingredients

Reconstruction of an apothecary's shop

Advert for Tim Pill Box

Apothecary jar for iron oxide with painted label and parchment cover.

Jug Spanish: 17th century

Trade card for J. G. Bevan and Company, Cheltenham.

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

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Wellcome collection