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AMYLUM

National Museum of American History
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Object Details

Description (Brief)
"AMYLUM" is another name for starch found in the seeds, roots and tubers of plants. It is used to thicken liquids and bind ingredients. In the eighteenth century it was used in enemas to curb diarrhea.
Pharmaceutical historian George Urdang attributes the containers 1991.0664.0760 through 1991.0664.0825 to the town of Hanau in the late 18th century based on the floral design surrounding the medallion and, the initials "HN" on the bottom of many of the jars in the series. However, in a letter to museum curators dated August 1983, the pharmaceutical historian Wolfgang-Hagen Hein wrote that the containers without initials and those marked "FH" were made in Florsheim in the German state of Hesse twenty-three miles southwest of Hanau.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of American Pharmaceutical Association and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
1790-1810
1775 - 1799
ID Number
1991.0664.0795
accession number
1991.0664
collector/donor number
SAP 719
catalog number
1991.0664.0795
Object Name
jar
Other Terms
jar; Pharmaceutical Container
Physical Description
ceramic (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 16.3 cm x 10.5 cm; 6 7/16 in x 4 1/8 in
place made
Germany
Related Publication
Urdang, George and Ferdinand William Nitardy. The Squibb Ancient Pharmacy: A Catalogue of the Collection
Estes, J. Worth. Dictionary of Protopharmacology: Therapeutic Practices, 1700-1850
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Medicine
European Apothecary
Art
National Museum of American History
subject
Pharmacy
Record ID
nmah_993722
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-7e4a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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