A metal gun-shaped tool, with a plastic syringe attached
This device was invented in the 1950s by Charles Palmer, a farmer in the Scottish town of Fort William, and a diabetic. He created it so that diabetics could easily inject insulin using its spring-loaded mechanism
This object is on display in our Gallery 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/phy...
An open book showing an illustration of a human hand. The hand is partially dissected – the veins and arteries are on display. The hand does not look like that of a corpse – its fingers are spread and the forefinger rests on a closed book
Charles Bell was an anatomist and an artist. He created the hand-coloured engravings in this book to show the structure of the arteries and to explore the damage which could be caused by bullets, scissors or ‘a thrust made with a small sword’.
Find out more in Rag👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/rag...
Indeed!
Metal tool, with a handle. Similar in design to a rotary whisk
This device was marketed by its inventor, Dr Gerald Macaura, as improving blood circulation through vibrations. According to Macaura it could cure paralysis, deafness, tuberculosis, rheumatism, ‘women’s issues’ and constipation
Find out more in Rag👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/rag...
A blocky instrument with little slits at the bottom, out of which protrudes many blades.
Scarificator, 19th century. This instrument with spring-loaded blades delivered many cuts simultaneously. Afterwards, the doctor placed a heated cup over the site. As it cooled, blood was forced out of the wounds.
Photo: University of Melbourne.
An illustration of a woman wearing a thick heavy skirt and headscarf, carrying a wicker basket over her arm and another on her back
Fishwives, or ‘oyster lasses’, were common figures in the streets of 1700s Edinburgh. Oysters were so plentiful that they were considered to be cheap snack food. The shells themselves, when ground up, were taken to relieve heartburn
A cardboard box, about the size of a large matchbox. Text on it reads ‘Perkins National Herbs for the blood, liver and kidneys’
This product was marketed as a remedy for ‘impurities in the blood’. The advertising gave a long list of conditions caused by impure blood, including constipation, malaria, pimples and cancer
Find out more in Rag👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/rag...
Text reading 'Sorry we're closed 3rd and 6th April'
We're going to be closed for Easter. But we'll be back on Tuesday!
Ilustration of a man sitting on a large weighing machine. He reaches forward to a table in front of him, on which are cups, plates and cutlery
Santorio Sanctorius’s 17thc weighing machine. For over 30 years he weighed everything that went into, and came out of his body, comparing the weight of his food and drink with his urine and excretia and keeping a detailed diary of his findings
Page from a book showing two woodcut illustrations. The first shows a boat with mast and sails and a giant sea monster popping up out of the water. The second illustration shows the sea monster attacking the boat
You're going to need a bigger boat!
from Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (c.1558) by Olaus Magnus.
🤢
I think two big differences is the lack of baking involved and the lack of flavouring
I'd take ramen over wet bread for sure!
Stack of paper pages. Top page reads: Toast water Take 1 slice bread Toast it as crisply as possible without burning Put in a jug and pour over it 1 pint of cold spring water Let is stand ½ hour Strain Serve plan or add the juice of a lemon
Latest collection discovery, hidden in a book are a bundle of medical and culinary recipes. Including recipes for raw beef tea, orange jelly and one for 'soothing nourishment in consumption'.
One of the least appealing is 'toast water' which is, you guessed it, toast that has been put in water.
Thank you :)
Open book with illustration of a woman, her body open to show her womb and a flower covering her genitals
This midwifery text covers not only childbirth but menopause and menstruation as well. Like most writers in the 1600s, its author Jane Sharp used euphemistic language for these taboo subjects. She referred to menstruation as ‘the flowers’
Find out more in Rag👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/rag...
As #LGBTplusHM draws to a close we wanted to share a lively virtual talk by our archivist Felix Lancashire & rare books librarian Katie Birkwood exploring some fascinating & potentially challenging #LGBTQ+ collections at the @rcphysicians.bsky.social.
Watch now 👉 youtu.be/2i3RuFI6aGE?...
Cover of a book, titled Directions for preparing aerated medicinal waters
Its 1787, and you can pick up a bottle of artificial 'spaw water' in the town of Leith, made from a mix of water, chalk, magnesia and salt
Two outdoor images, to the left is a meadow and tree, to the right is the exterior of a brick building
From the 17thc to the present day, #Edinburgh has been dotted with physic gardens and rife with research into #botany and the medicinal uses of plants.
Here are the stories behind the city's gardens 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/edi...
Image of a sunrise over a landscape
X-ray of human hand
Illustration of anatomical dissection
Lotus flower
We've got a print shop! Over 400 of our rare and beautiful images are for sale.
This includes everything from a lotus flower, flamingos, and raspberries to Edinburgh chimney sweeps, skulls, x-rays and microscopes.
Check them out 👉 shop.artuk.org/prints.html?...
Illustration of rowan branch with white flowers and red berries
Rowan was thought to have magical properties and was often planted near houses as a protection against witches. Rowan wood was used for stirring milk to prevent the milk curdling, and as a pocket charm against rheumatism
Open wooden medicine chest with dozens of medicine bottles on display
What medicines did Jacobites use? This chest belonged to a Jacobite doctor, personal physician to Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Visit our museum to study its contents!
📍 Physicians’ Gallery, 11 Queen Street, EH2 1JQ
📅 Mondays – Fridays, 10am – 4.30pm
Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/phy...
Open wooden medicine box containing rows of glass bottles with cork stoppers.
This box was sold by a homeopathic chemist in Liverpool – Thompson and Capper. According to homeopathic principles, water ‘remembers’ which medicines were added to it and reactivates them when the water is consumed.
This object is on display in our gallery 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/phy...
An open wooden box lined with green velvet. The box contains a trephine set made from metal. Some instruments have black wooden handles. There is also a small brush with ivory handle.
One of the oldest surgical instruments in our museum collection is this amazing trephine set dating from c.1740. It was made by Edward Stanton of London and contains 4 trephines, forceps, raspatory, lenticular, elevator and a tiny brush
A photograph of two people, one of them is taking a photo on their phone of a display of fabric blood bags
Our new exhibition is now open!
Rag: A History of Blood explores the social, medical and cultural history of blood.
The exhibition runs until 16th October
📍 Physicians’ Gallery, 11 Queen Street, EH2 1JQ
📅 Mondays – Fridays, 10am – 4.30pm
Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/rag...
Not right now, sorry - we hope to be able to in the future!
A person with long hair looking at a medicine chest in a display case
Two children playing with an anatomical model
Visit our free #Edinburgh museum.
Over 50 objects, illustrations and books are on display, sharing stories from medieval medicine to modern day treatments.
📍 Physicians’ Gallery, 11 Queen Street, EH2 1JQ
📅 Mondays – Fridays, 10am – 4.30pm
Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/phy...
Two photographs. On the left is a women dressed in a white nightgown sitting on a chair. One shoulder is exposed and both legs are bare, one leg is outstretched towards the camera. The text reads ‘Hystero-epilepsie’. The other photograph shows a woman in a white nightgown sitting on a bed with her legs crossed. She looks upwards with both hands raised. The text reads ‘attitudes passionnelles’
Charcot was a French neurologist who studied hypnotism in cases of hysteria. He held public displays of his skills which were attended by actors, authors and others, including a young Sigmund Freud. They were viewed as salacious as they often involved semi-clad young women
A model of the upper part of a person’s face, showing their nose, closed eyes and forehead. There appear to be red dots around the eyebrows, possibly indicating a skin condition.
This wax moulage of William Caulfield, a patient at the Edinburgh Infirmary, shows the incredible detail that went into modelling individual eyelashes, freckles and wrinkles
Promo image. Text reads 'sorry we're closed Friday 20th February'
We're closed tomorrow for one day only - as we install a new exhibition in our gallery. We'll be back on Monday!