Mercury Proto-Iodide - Syphilis Treatment
Antique pharmacy bottle.
Red ‘POISON’ label
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.
Period: Late 19th century - Very early 20th century (circa 1890–1910)
EMPTY
Description
Mercury Proto-Iodide - Syphilis Treatment
Antique pharmacy bottle
Red POISON label
Signaling to the pharmacist that it must strictly be stored separately from other substances in the toxic substances cabinet, the famous "poison cabinet".
This bottle contained mercury proto-iodide, the standard treatment for syphilis in the 19th century.
At the time, mercury was used to temporarily reduce the skin rashes caused by the disease. Doctors aimed to induce extreme salivation (ptyalism) in the patient, mistakenly believing that the body was flushing out the illness.
In reality, the treatment was completely ineffective at curing the infection and caused severe mercury poisoning: excruciating pain, tooth loss, dark necrosis of the jaw and palate, tremors, and severe neurological damage.
The use of mercury declined after 1909 with the discovery of Salvarsan, before disappearing completely with the advent of penicillin.
It comes from the old basement laboratory of a Parisian pharmacy. These bottles had remained untouched on the shelves since the late 1950s. The basement served as a medical analysis lab and a compounding laboratory for the pharmacy from 1900 until around 1950.
Bottle height: 8 cm with stopper
Period: Late 19th century - Very early 20th century (circa 1890–1910)
EMPTY
