New Museum Display Explores Popular Medicines, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 30 Nov 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has launched a new Popular Medicines display which traces the history of 12 proprietary medicines and includes the original medicines, packaging and advertising for each product.

The display includes well-known brands such as Beecham's and Holloway's, alongside lesserknown classics such as Dr James's Fever Powder, which was patented in 1746, and Fennings' Children's Cooling Powders, which is still on sale today.

Situated in the Conference Suite of the RPSGB's London headquarters, the display can be viewed by visitors attending events in this area, or as part of a pre-booked guided tour of the museum on Tuesday afternoons. Bookings can be made by contacting the Museum office on 020 7572 2210, or at museum@rpsgb.org.

The display coincides with the publication of a new book by the Pharmaceutical Press, Popular Medicines - An illustrated history which was written by two staff from the RPSGB's Museum, Briony Hudson and Peter Homan, in collaboration with Ray Rowe. The book portrays the histories of 21 well-known medicines and details: the biography of each inventor; the origins of the medicine and its subsequent history; the medicine's formula and its intended purpose. Each entry is supported with illustrations of colourful historical adverts, portraits, photographs and images of the medicines.
The book is available to buy for £24.95 at the RPSGB's Library, or by ordering it from RPS Publishing at http://www.pharmpress.com.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

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