Among the ingredients of animal origin most often employed in the apothecary shops of the medieval and early modern periods one can mention honey and wax. Still used in numerous natural cures today, apiculture products featured in the past as well.
Rose honey, MEL. ROSATUM (or Mellis Rosae)
was used as such, due to
its emollient and lenitive (calming pain) properties, but was also an
ingredient in various composite drugs (especially gargles and creams).
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| Rose honey display at the History of Pharmacy Collection in Cuj-Napoca, August 2016 |
Beeswax was used in apothecary shops not only for
candles (that the pharmacist produced to sell and that also ensured the light
in his pharmacy and house), but were also part of unguents, plasters and various
treatments.
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| Candle-making device and candle hand-modeling board in the pharmacy museum from Krakow. Taken from Istvan Budahazi, Contributii la istoria farmaciei oradene, 2007, p. 28. |
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The History of Pharmacy Collection in Cluj-Napoca, part of the National history Museum of Transylvania, exhibits in the "Animals that heal" temporary exhibition currently on display in the Hintz House, a wooden apothecary
jar from the 19th c, with the signature CERA ALBA (white wax).
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| Natural beeswax candle, in the "Animals that heal" temporary exhibition |
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| Detail of the "CERA ALBA" signature on a wooden apothecary jar, in the "Animals that heal" temporary exhibition |
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