Health & Medicine - Overview
The Museum's collections of medical science artifacts represent nearly all aspects of health and medical practice. Highlights include early X-ray apparatuses, such as one of Wilhelm Roentgen's tubes, penicillin mold from Alexander Fleming’s experiments, and Jonas Salk's original polio vaccine. More recent acquisitions include the first artificial heart implanted in a human, the earliest genetically engineered drugs, and materials related to David, the "Bubble Boy." Other artifacts range from artificial limbs and implant devices to bloodletting and dental instruments, beauty products, and veterinary equipment. The contents of a medieval apothecary shop and an 1890s drugstore form part of the collections, along with patent and alternative medicines. The collections also document the many differing perspectives on health and medical issues, from patients, family members, doctors, nurses, medical students, and out-of-the-mainstream health practitioners.
"Health & Medicine - Overview" showing 49 items.
Page 5 of 5
BALS COPAIV
- Description
- This square blown and molded bottle has a flat collar. The glass bottle is decorated with a baked white enamel cartouche that is framed by stylized blue leaves and yellow and red flowers. It is marked in black "BALS COPAIV". Brought from Central and South America to Europe in the 17th century Copaiva is the juice of a tree, the Copaitera Balsamum. Its uses are many, from calming the nervous system to treating genital and urinary infections.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0213
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05361
- collector/donor number
- SAP 70
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0213
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
SP NTTR CRUD
- Description (Brief)
- This blown and molded square bottle has rounded shoulders and a narrow flared opening with a "lollipop" stopper. The baked enamel label is an oval white shield outlined with a red line and a wreath of blue leaves and yellow and red flowers. It is marked, "SP/NTTR/CRUD."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0214
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05362
- 1991.0664.0214.02
- collector/donor number
- SAP 71
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0214.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
SP SAL CRUD
- Description
- This square blown and molded bottle has a flat collar. The glass container is decorated with a baked white enamel cartouche that is framed by stylized blue leaves and yellow and red flowers. The label is marked in black "SP SAL CRUD."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0215
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05363
- collector/donor number
- SAP 72
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0215
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
BEZOARD
- Description
- This square, blown jar has a flared collar. The glass container is decorated with a baked white enamel cartouche that is framed by stylized blue leaves and yellow flowers and red ribbon. It is marked in black "BEZOARD" below the alchemical symbol for pulvis, or powder. A bezoar is a hairball found in the stomach of animals. This container would have contained pulverized bezoars.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0217
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05365
- collector/donor number
- SAP 74
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0217
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
SP VITRIOL ACID
- Description
- This square blown and molded bottle has a flared collar and a glass stopper. The glass bottle is decorated with a baked white enamel cartouche. The white circle is framed by stylized blue leaves and yellow flowers and red ribbon. It is marked in black "SP VITRIOL ACID." Spirits of Vitriol Acid was imbibed as a tonic or applied topically as an astringent and an antiseptic.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0218
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05366
- collector/donor number
- SAP 75
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0218.01
- 1991.0664.0218.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
RAD COLUMB
- Description
- This blown and molded square-shaped bottle has a wide neck, flared lip, and a round stopper. The white baked enamel shield is framed by stylized blue leaves with yellow and red flowers. Above the shield is a yellow crown with the letter "H" in the center. The jar is labeled with the alchemical symbol for powder and, marked “RAD COLUMB” in black. This jar would have held powdered Columbo root, which was used as an antiseptic or tonic.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 17th-18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0368
- catalog number
- M-05517
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- collector/donor number
- SAP 229
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0368
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Votive Tabernacle Shrine
- Description
- A tabernacle is a religious structure or shrine where one can place offerings such as a monetary donation or a symbolic gesture for a wish or as thanks for an answered prayer.
- This tabernacle shrine is a concave wooden form in the shape of an arch with rounded cusps and foils. The back of the wooden form is rough and looks as if it was meant be set into a niche. Two sheets of thin brass are molded and nailed to the top of the wooden form ending about two inches from the base. Inset into the arch at the top is a large repousse baroque shell. Below the shell is an apothecary cabinet created by a stamping technique, possibly repousse silver over brass.
- The miniature apothecary has three sections of cabinets. The center cabinet protrudes (3 1/4") slightly. The cabinets are made of silver over brass with two round columns in the center. Apothecary jars sit on three rows of cabinets and four shelves. A decorative gallery extends across all three sections of the apothecary.
- In the center of the tabernacle is the figure of Christ on the Cross made of molded silver over brass. Above the figure is a plaque engraved with the Latin initials "INRI", for Iesus Nazarenus Rex iudaeorum, in English, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
- The nails that secure the shrine to the wooden “frame” appear to be modern, probably late 19th-century, suggesting the shrine was placed in the “frame” to keep it stable before being sold to collector Jo Mayer. There are no square holes in the wood which would indicate older nails.
- George Urdang and F. W. Nitardy described the shrine in "The Squibb Ancient Pharmacy Catalogue", as a “votive tabernacle shrine in the form of an ancient pharmacy . . . made in the moderate-baroque style of the middle 18th century . . . . The tabernacle was a gift from a grateful patient to a Bavarian cloister pharmacy. It is said to be the work of gold and silversmiths of Augsburg . . .” After close inspection, the gold colored metal appears to be brass, although the metalsmith did use silver over brass for the cabinets and apothecary jars.
- It is interesting to note, in his article, “Rarities and Antiques in the Collection of Jo Mayer,” Ferchl writes that the shrine was procured "through various channels of the art trade into the haven of the Wiesbaden collection." Though obscure, this is the only reference found to date indicating how any of Mayer's collection were acquired.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1014
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-06284
- 1991.0664.1014
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Apothecary Bottle, OL CINAM
- Description
- This free blown square bottle with rounded shoulders and circular -shaped glass stopper dates from the eighteenth century. The baked enamel label is typical of the Rococo style popular at the time. The baked enamel label is a white oval-shaped cartouche and is outlined with blue stylized acanthus leaves and pink ribbons. The center of the cartouche is marked in black, "OL CINAM", Oil of Cinnamon. This is one of a group of six small containers for oil extracts decorated with the same baked enamel labels.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0414
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05563
- collector/donor number
- SAP 275
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0414.01
- 1991.0664.0414.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Apothecary Bottle, OL BERGAM
- Description
- This free blown square bottle with rounded shoulders and lollypop-shaped glass stopper dates from the eighteenth century. The baked enamel label is typical of the Rococo style popular at the time. The oval cartouche is outlined in blue stylized acanthus leaves and pink ribbon the center of the cartouche is marked in black, "OL BERGAM". Oil of Bergamot was used as a flavoring agent for medicines as well as a tea to settle the stomach. This jar is one of a group of six small containers for oil extracts decorated with the same labels.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 18th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.0415
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- M-05564
- collector/donor number
- SAP 276
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.0415.01
- 1991.0664.0415.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center