Apothecary Chest

Modern medicine has come a long way over the past century, as evident with this 19th century Apothecary Chest. Also referred to as a Dispensatory or Medicine Box/Cabinet, this item would have been the Clarke family’s First Aid kit in many ways, as druggists outfitted apothecary chests to hold a variety of liquid ingredients believed to have medicinal properties. The chest also typically came with equipment for mixing the individual ingredients into prescriptions for the owner’s ailments, like a spatula, tile, a glass funnel, an enema syringe, and measuring glasses. A druggist refilled the bottles periodically; in the Clarkes’ case, the ingredients and bottles in this chest were purchased from John Milhau, a Pharmaceutical Chemist located at 183 Broadway in New York City. As Milhau did not move his pharmacy to this location until 1848, it is assumed the chest was purchased by George Clarke, Jr. some time after that. This is further supported by two original prescriptions for George dated 1858 and 1859, one of which is on paper stock printed with the label J. Milhaus’ Sons, Druggists and Pharmaceutists. 

While this chest only contains original equipment like a mortar, pestle, and stopper, it does carry many original bottles labeled with John Milhau’s name and address of his pharmacy in New York City. One ingredient was Powdered Rhubarb, which could aid indigestion or act as a laxative. Another was Sulphate of Quinine, an anti-malaria treatment and James' Powder, a since-debunked fever reducer. There was also a bottle titled Tartar Emetic, a violent purgative that contained the toxic substance antimony. The chest even contained two empty bottles of laudanum, which was opium mixed with alcohol. Medicine chests’ popularity would decline by the end of the 19th century, but given the potential dangers of its common ingredients, this transition was most certainly for the best now that the apothecary chest of today is just a cabinet at home.