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physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Physicians' Gallery
@physiciansgallery.bsky.social
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A free museum and library exploring the science and humanity of medicine at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

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physiciansgallery.bsky.social
What is now a cocktail bar on the corner of Edinburgh’s North Castle and George Streets was once a ‘Mesmeric Sanatorium’ – a venue for both mesmeric treatments and phrenological examinations
Printed text. Reads: mesmeric sanatorium, 37 North Castle Street, Edinburgh, Conducted by Messrs Davey and Jackson whose terms for mesmeric treatment, or phrenological delineations, may be obtained on application
January 15, 2026 at 7:55 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
This bag promotes Vicodin, an opioid. It was gifted by a pharmaceutical sales rep to a physician. It dates from the early days of the opioid crisis in the US, when the country experienced a sharp rise in the misuse of prescription drugs

Find out more in Hooked www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...
A blue bumbag with the word 'Vicodin' on the label
January 12, 2026 at 8:33 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Melt in your mouth chloroform anyone? Gelatine sheets from the #WW1 battlefront, marketed as containing morphine, aspirin and quinine
An opened red leather wallet with the words ‘medicated gelatine lamels, Savoy and Moore Ltd London’ and ‘Each sheet is divided into 24 small squares. Each small square is an ordinary dose’. Four paper rectangular packages have been removed, only two labels are clearer readable, saying ‘cinnamon and quinine’ and ‘calomel’.
January 7, 2026 at 7:59 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Sore legs? Considered putting herrings on your feet? - Handy 1785 medical tip
Printed recipe. Text reads: For swelled legs. Take salt herrings, open them, pulling out the back-bone, lay them to the soles of your feet: by doing this once per day, for 7 days, you will experience the benefit.
January 5, 2026 at 7:06 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
New Year, new you? For anyone whose New Year's resolutions involve gym membership - we jump into the history of gyms and exercise 👉 rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/gym...
Illustration of a man sitting in a chair. One of his leg's is raised and resting on a piece of mechanical equipment which has rods, a wheel and levers.
January 1, 2026 at 12:50 PM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Born #NewYearsEve 1514, Andreas Vesalius, anatomist, physician and author of the influential text 'On the Fabric of the Human Body' #histmed
On the left is a portrait of Andreas Vesalius - with short hair, a long beard and a dark but ornately designed top. On the right is an illustration of a standing skeleton with its hands raised to its skull, as if it was weeping
December 31, 2025 at 7:29 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
2025 wrap up!

This year, we have…

🎉 Expanded our museum to add a new gallery
🎉 Had our digitised books downloaded over 440,000 times!
🎉 ran 15 events and 72 tours for 3,811 people!
(we’re especially proud of our bladder-themed event, who knew so many people were fascinated by bladders!)
Image of two children looking at an anatomical model. Text reads: 2025 wrap up! Read more Image of a person with long brown hair looking at a medicine chest. Text reads: We've expanded our museum, opening a new permanent gallery - all thanks to a generous bequest from Dr Joyce Grainger! Image of a child with short hair holding a colostomy bag. Text reads: we ran 15 events and 72 tours for 3,811 visitors! Including the 240 young people who turned up to our bladder-themed Fringe event
December 29, 2025 at 10:23 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
16thc trepan, used to drill holes in a patient's skull as a treatment for a whole range of conditions including headaches, hysteria and epilepsy. "Press the trepan on the thickest part, and in this take good heede..."
Illustration of a collection of instruments which look like spikes, pliers and drills. In the bottom right is a skull with a hole in it
December 19, 2025 at 8:25 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Handy eighteenth century tip for curing 'Warts in the Private Members'... nothing too complicated, just the blood of an eel, of course
Printed recipe. Text reads: For warts in the private members. Apply the blood of a drake, or blood of an eel, and you may depend upon being cured. Probatum est.
December 15, 2025 at 7:57 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
This style of ceramic inhaler was invented in the 1860s. Medical infusions were placed in the inhaler and boiling water was poured over them. Common medicines used included chlorine, iodine, creosote, vinegar and henbane.

This object is on display in our gallery 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...
A teardrop shaped inhaler with a glass tube protruding from the top
December 9, 2025 at 9:19 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
New episode! This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – The Tree of Intemperance, an 1800s American illustration with an admonishing moral message.

Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/tre...
Promotional image with the words: The Object Series, Physicians' Gallery Podcast, Tree of Intemperance
December 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
A typical 1600s patient/doctor consultation on full display in this woodcut from Joannes Jonstonus. The doctor examines a flask of the patient's urine while the patient waits for their results
Black and white illustration. In the foreground are two men - one standing, one seated at a table. The man on the right holds up a flask, examining its contents. On the table is a skull and another flask. In the background three figures can be seen examining and caring for two bedridden patients.
December 3, 2025 at 7:51 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
17thc medical diagnosis by astrology. Watch out under Capricorn for diseases of the knees and hams. And beware of scabs and fractures
An opened book, headed 'An introduction to astrology'. Sections divided into: diseases, places, kingdoms, cities and towns.
December 1, 2025 at 12:15 PM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Um, dog milk and the brains of a hare anyone?
Printed recipe. Reads: Breeding of teeth easily. 1. Dog's milk, fresh butter, the brains of an hare boyled, rubbed on the teeth and gums. 2. Anoint the whole neck, the head, the jaws
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
New episode! We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery. This week, we’re talking about the electro-therapeutic machine. These machines were designed to administer electric shocks.

Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/ele...
Promotional image of electro machine. Text reads: Physicians' Gallery Podcast Electro Machine
November 21, 2025 at 11:55 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Blog! What we mean by addiction is ever changing. In 1600s Britain, reading books was seen as addictive. You could also be addicted to astrology or to writing poetry.
Read more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/her...
Promotional image showing illustration of coffee plant with words 'Blog post Hooked - Defining Addiction'
November 20, 2025 at 7:44 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
In 1700s Britain tea was in such high demand it was often counterfeited - with local plants mixed with turpentine, paint and sheep dung. This book shows an authentic Chinese tea leaf (bottom left) in comparison with 'spurious' substitute leaves

Find out more in Hooked www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...
Printed black and white illustration of tea making equipment. Two tea caddies are in the centre, surrounded by images of different leaves
November 17, 2025 at 8:22 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
17th century birthing stool, with handgrips for the mother to grasp during contractions and a 'cloth round the ring to keep out the aire'. Similar stools can be found described in the Bible and in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs
An open book. On the right-hand-page is an illustration of a stool which has a tall back, fabric around the base covering the legs and an open ring-shaped base - so the seated person would perch on the ring with space below them for the baby to be delivered
November 12, 2025 at 5:01 PM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
A personal favourite treatment... To cure a whitloe (lesion) put your finger in a cat's ear
Printed recipe. Text reads: For a whitloe in the finger. Stop the finger into a cat's ear, and it will be whole within a quarter of an hour.
November 10, 2025 at 10:51 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
New podcast series! We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery.

This week, we’re talking about a 1600s book called Erotomania, which explores the addictive nature of unrequited love.

Listen now 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/ero...
Promotional image showing an open book with text superimposed which reads 'Physicians' Gallery Podcast, Erotomania'
November 8, 2025 at 11:33 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
On the doctor's orders - wine as a cure for melancholy, at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

archive.org/details/b216...
Handwritten recipe. Reads: A wine against melancholy. Take a pottle of white wine, of sage of [?] & warts-tongue of either one a close hand full. Rosemary as much as of the other then give all a boile on a soft fyre. Then put therin a pinte of spring well water & strain it after you think that a pinte is spent in boyling of the wine. Take a good beer glasse full in the morning at 4 of the clock (afternoon) & last at night
November 7, 2025 at 7:46 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
Our new permanent gallery and learning centre are now open!

Be one of the first to check out our alchemical scroll, examine medicines from the Battle of Culloden and try out our family-friendly puzzles and activities.

Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...
Photograph of a display case with a wooden medicine chest inside
November 3, 2025 at 1:03 PM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
This image is from an 18thc text, 'Man-midwifery dissected'. Its author, John Blunt, wrote that women who employed male midwives were 'female brutes' who 'have stoically forgotten to blush, unless it be by the assistance of rouge'
Coloured illustration of a person - the left half is dressed in typically male 18th century clothing - yellow breeches, a green coat and a powdered wig, while the right side is dressed in typically female clothing - a dress with ruffled sleeves. The background is similarly divided - on the left are shelves of medicines, forceps and a mortar and pestle.
October 29, 2025 at 7:58 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
These are both opium-based medicines. Paregoric was given to young children to relieve teething pain and send them to sleep. Other opium-based medicines for children included Mother Bailey’s Quieting Syrup and Mrs Winslow’s Soothing Syrup

Find out more in Hooked www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/hoo...
Two medicine bottles with labels reading ‘laudanum’ and ‘paregoric elixir’
October 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
physiciansgallery.bsky.social
We're on the way!

Very excited to see our new public gallery taking shape.

Opening on 3rd November and free entry - see you there!

Find out more 👉 www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/joy...
A man standing on a ladder holding a sponge. Behind him is a colourful wall vinyl with pictures of test tubes and x-rays A green wall vinyl with rolled up vinyl tubes propped up against it
October 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM