Historical Treasures
A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR AILMENTS BRITAIN, 1854-1856
A 19th century medicine chest
Medicine chests filled with numerous bottles of herbal remedies and medicines could be purchased for domestic use from apothecaries, chemists and druggists in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries. They became increasingly popular with the rise of consumer culture during this period, but only the most affluent could actually afford them.
These chests usually came equipped with an instruction manual or guidebook on how to use the medicines, what illnesses they could be used for and the correct dosage for each one, especially for children. Just in case a doctor was called for, it was useful to have a chest at home so that there were medicines ready for them once they arrived – but many of these medicines could only be administered by a doctor anyway. While it was handy to have a medicine chest at home, they were particularly useful when it came to travelling and access to medical help was harder.
Medicines that often featured in these chests included laudanum, an opioid that was widely available in the period and usually used as pain relief or to treat ailments such as dysentery. They also contained medicines needed for immediate first aid, rather than for prolonged illnesses, including emetics, purgatives, stimulants, anticonvulsants and even nasal decongestants. At the time, it was common for people to self-diagnose and self-medicate using almanacs and medical books rather than paying a visit to their doctor, unless they were suffering from a serious illness.
In larger chests, dressings and plasters were added for minor wounds and there were also treatments for burns. Some chests even had tubes of leeches, which were thought to help with reducing swelling and inflammation. They also included a variety of instruments and accessories such as a mortar and pestle, scales, measures, a spatula and even a lancet, which would only be used by a doctor.
This particular medicine chest belonged to Florence Nightingale and is currently held at the Florence Nightingale Museum in London. Nightingale took it with her to the Crimean War and it is worth noting that her contemporary, Mary Seacole, also arrived at the war equipped with her own medicine chest filled with her herbal remedies.