Blue ridged glass bottle for arsenic, Europe, 1701-1935

Made:
1801-1935 in Europe and United Kingdom
Poison bottle for arsenic Poison bottle for arsenic. Poison bottle for arsenic.

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Poison bottle for arsenic
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Poison bottle for arsenic.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Poison bottle for arsenic.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Poison bottle, blue for arsenic in solution, unsigned, British, 1801-1935.

Although potentially highly poisonous, arsenic was used as a component in a range of treatments for many centuries. Like the similarly toxic chemical mercury, arsenic was a popular treatment for syphilis. Although its medical applications have been reduced in the last century, arsenic compounds can be used to treat certain conditions, such as severe leukaemia.

Used in a pharmacist’s shop, this blue glass bottle is ridged, so the user would know by touch that its contents were poisonous if given in large doses. Coloured glass was also used to indicate poisons.

Details

Category:
Medical Glass-ware
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A600213
Materials:
glass
Measurements:
overall: 220 mm 80 mm, .6kg
type:
bottle