Black powder against epilepsy

One of the exhibits of the temporary exhibition "Gold and gems" at the History of Pharmacy Collection in Cluj is a wooden apothecary jar from the beginning of the 19th c, with the signature PULV: EPILEPT: NIG: (i.e. in Latin Pulvis epilepticus niger). The product contained various plants (mainly peony), linden charcoal (thus the name and the black color), but also red coral, white amber, narwhal tusk (“sea unicorn”) and sometimes mother of pearl, pearls, and gold.

The product and features for example in the correspondence of the Mozarts. Though the name of the apothecary powder indicates that it was used against epilepsy, similar "black powders" were also used in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe against fever, shivers, convulsions, colic pains, and nightmares.

 

Precious apothecary ingredients

The new temporary exhibition at the History of Pharmacy Collection in Cluj, entitled "Gold and gems", is actually about many other interesting fact about the history of pharmacy, alchemy and snobbery. It tells the story of gold, silver, and gem powder as universal medicines, of the advantages of gilding or silvering pills, of black epileptic powders that contained precious red coral, mother of pearl and crushed narwal tusk, of alcoholic tonics that contained saffron and flecks of gold, but also of ingredients making reference to precious metals, such as Orpiment (arsenic yellow powder) and the Golden citrus (bitter orange).

Don't miss the exhibition that will be open until the end of this year.

Cordial waters contained saffron and flecks of gold

Crocus sativus or Saffron Crocus, the most expensive of spices, reaching the price of gold

The Gold Pigment - Orpiment

Gold leaf and Avicenna's pills

Gold and silver uses in homeopathy - a theory born in Transylvania