Book description
Ties in to a fantastic new four-part BBC series from the makers of the hit Victorian Farm Shows how many products on sale in our high street chemists today can trace their origins back to nineteenth century formulations Full of fascinating facts, remedies and recipes to try at home Victorian…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Victorian Pharmacy as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This was part of my research for a historical novel I am writing, and this book is a fascinating read.
From items that sound rather nice (cold cream made with almond oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, and rose water) to the really quite disgusting (brushing your teeth with a mix of castile soap and vodka, anyone?), this has recipes, anecdotes, historical customs and brand names galore. Wonderful for research.
It's just fun to read!
A clever introduction to Victorian pharmaceuticals and remedies, this is a companion book for the popular BBC television series. It provides an explanation of the natural substances used for healing, and how they were made into marketable and regulated medicines for sale at the apothecary shop. The emphasis is on safety, because the authors don’t want you trying arsenic and mercury-based compounds at home, and indeed they leave out a great many useful Victorian remedies, particularly those containing opium! But the knowledge about how apothecary shops worked, and what the pharmacist did to turn plants and other substances into medicine,…
From Lisa's list on The best books exploring the wonders of Victorian medicine.
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