The Science and Art of Medicine

Mahogany medicine chest, C19

• Mahogany medicine chest, 19th century.

Bourdalon female urinal, blue and white, c. 1805, Spode

• Bourdalon, or female urinal, English, c. 1805.

Italian pharmacy vase, 18th century polychrome maiolica made at Castelli, used for lily water

• Two pharmacy jars, 18th century.

A woven string bag containing objects used for divination. The bag contains thirty-six objects including animal bones, pebbles, nut kernels and a hoof, each of which means something specific to a diviner. The objects are thrown onto a mat and the pat

• Bag with objects for divination, Africa, 1880-1930

This is a wax model of the human heart, sectioned to illustrate the interior structure of the organ. Sir Thomas Lewis (1881-1945) made and used this model in his research into the human cardiovascular system in England.

• Chambers of the human heart, 1910-1930.

An amuletic necklace made of horn, claw, nuts and metal, strung together on a leather thong. It is common to put medicine in an animal horn, and necklace charms are often worn around the neck as protection against illness and ill fortune.

• Amuletic necklace, West Africa, 1880-1920

Large hacksaw-shaped amputation saw, perhaps 17th century

• Amputation saw, 17th Century.

Posset pot, tin glazed earthenware, polychrome bird motif, English. The artist was Wiglett.

• Posset pot, 1660-1730.

Granite Kohl pot and stick, Egyptian, 1800BC to 200BC. Make-up was in common use in Ancient Egypt and focused particularly on the eye, in order to replicate the appearance of the sun god, Re. Kohl eyeliner was frequently used to achieve this effect.

• Ancient Egyptian kohl pots, 1800-200 BC.

Griptight miniature feeder. Glass infant's feeding bottle with rubber teat, rubber valve, and cleaning brush in original box. The other feeding bottle, at the top of the image, is A625747, an earthenware bottle.

• Infant feeding bottles, English, 19th-20th century.