Page 7 - Pharmacy History 29 July 2006

It is interesting to note that of the 20 bottles of commonly used tinctures powders and mixtures, there were three containing opium:
• Dover’s Powder or compound powder of ipecacuanha
was used as a diaphoretic to promote sweating and as an anodyne to relieve pain as well as a treatment for gastric ulcers, diarrhoea and dyspeptic vomiting.
• Laudanum or tincture of opium which was used as an anodyne, and to treat diarrhoea and colic. It was such a universal remedy that the risks of dependence were very high, particularly by those with access to the medicine chest!
• Paregoric elixir or camphorated tincture of opium, was used as an expectorant in cough mixtures, and was made by adding camphor and benzoic acid to tincture of opium.
In addition there were also remedies such as peppermint water and Sal Volatile to treat old ladies who were subject to fainting.
Mercury as ‘grey powder’ was the only available treatment for venereal diseases at the time, and antimony as Tartar Emetic and Antimonial Wine were used as emetics or for removing intestinal parasites.
92-96 Oxford St, Sydney
Sloper’s advertising Sydney Gazette
Cinchona bark, powdered rhubarb, ipecacuanha, tincture
of myrrh and friar’s balsam were also included.
So, Uncle Bob’s medicine chest has turned out to be real treasure trove of history, not only for itself but also for introducing us to Frederick Sloper.
References
Sloper’s Proprietary Medicines
Keep up to date
The 38th International Congress for the History of Pharmacy is to be held in Sevilla (Spain), from September 19-22, 2007.
The theme of the Congress will be
Drugs and medicines from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
1 2 3
Young. Anne Mortimer. Antique Medicine Chests.1994. Vernier Press Brighton England.
Haines . Gregory. Then Grains and Threepenn’orths of Pharmacy.1976. Lowden, Kilmore NSW.
Sands Post Office Directories, Sydney, 1886-1900.
International Society for the History of Pharmacy
You can keep up to date with Congress information on the website at:
www.histpharm.org or through this Journal.
You can also ask to be put on the Preliminary Registration mailing list to receive information direct to your e mail.
Send Name and address details to: Professor Dr Estoban Moreno Toral, Historia de la Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia,
C/P. Garcia Gonzalez 2, 41012-Seville ( Spain )
toral@us.es, Fax 0034 5 9545 5672 6.
volume 3 ■ no 30 ■ NOVEMBER 2006
Pharmacy History Australia ■