Medicine chest
Category
Medical & health
Date
Unknown
Materials
Glass, Metal, Wood
Measurements
310 x 400 x 450 mms
Order this imageCollection
Felbrigg, Norfolk
NT 1398951
Summary
Crimean War medicine chest. Belonged to Charles Ashe Windham (1810-1870), forebear of Wyndham Ketton Cremer of Felbrigg Hall. Oak box bound with brass, with base of pine. Two locks. Two brass carrying handles, block feet. Lid opens to reveal series of upper compartments, 1 with lid and ivory knob, 5 rectangular tin containers - two with hinged lids and three with stoppers, 17 small glass bottles with cork stoppers, 3 large square glass bottles with brass lids. Contents labelled including Powdered Cubebs, Turkey Rhubarb Powder, Sago, Magnesia, Spermaceti, etc. Drawer below with 4 compartments. Spermaceti wax taken from oil of sperm whale, was used to make candles which had no acrid odour, didn't soften in summer temperatures, and burned evenly; by the 1860's it was blended with paraffin wax and ceresin to create a more durable wax.