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Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle
  • Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON cabinet - Antique pharmacy bottle

Crystallized Elaterin by Merck - POISON - Antique pharmacy bottle - Apothecary - EMPTY - The Poison Cabinet

€35.00

Crystallized Elaterin by Merck

Antique pharmacy bottle

POISON label with the famous skull and crossbones

Signaling to the pharmacist that it is imperative to keep apart the other substances in the cabinet of toxic substances, the famous poison cabinet.

It comes from an old cellar-laboratory in a Parisian pharmacy. The bottles had not moved since the late 1950s on the shelves. The cellar had served as a laboratory for medical analyses and a laboratory for magistral preparations of the pharmacy from 1900 until around 1950.

Dating: 20th century

EMPTY

Description

Crystallized Elaterin by Merck

Antique pharmacy bottle

POISON label with the famous skull and crossbones

This bottle has retained its original label from the prestigious German company E. Merck Darmstadt, as well as its rare French danger sticker from that time.

Signaling to the pharmacist that it is imperative to keep apart the other substances in the cabinet of toxic substances, the famous poison cabinet.

It initially contained 10 grams of crystallized Élatérine (Elaterinum), a plant-based active ingredient extracted from the famous Ecballium elaterium (Donkey cucumber or Squirter cucumber). Known for its explosive dispersal mechanism, this fruit provided one of the most violent, toxic and dangerous drastic purgatives in ancient pharmacopoeia.

Small feature of this bottle: it has retained its original German label for the product name, but when it arrived at the French pharmacy, the pharmacist added the skull and crossbones label to comply with the strict French legislation on poisonous substances.

Laterine was such a devastating purgative that at the slightest overdose it destroyed the intestinal walls, causing deadly blood diarrhea, rapid dehydration and collapse of vital functions within hours.

That is why doctors eventually abandoned the use of this plant altogether during the 20th century, deeming it far too dangerous for patients.

It comes from an old cellar-laboratory in a Parisian pharmacy. The bottles had not moved since the late 1950s on the shelves. The cellar had served as a laboratory for medical analyses and a laboratory for magistral preparations of the pharmacy from 1900 until around 1950.

Height of the bottle: 9.5cm with cap

Dating: 20th century

EMPTY

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Indicating to the pharmacist that it must be stored separately from other substances in the cabinet for toxic substances, the famous ‘poison cabinet’.

It comes from the former cellar-laboratory of a Parisian pharmacy. The bottles had not been moved from the shelves since the late 1950s. The cellar had served as a medical analysis laboratory and a laboratory for the pharmacy’s compounded preparations from 1900 until around 1950.

EMPTY

Price €35.00