Day 2, January 4th

Day 2, January 4th:

We had the opportunity to tour the pharmacy museum today. It was an experience unlike what I was expecting. I was expecting what you picture a museum as – clean and shiny with a lot of fake things telling the story of things from the past. This museum, however, was totally different. This museum was old and authentic. The bottles that lined the walls, according to our tour guide, are filled with what is actually on the original label. He stated that they have not changed anything, they have left it just as it was when it was in use. It is incredible how far medicine has come in since the first pharmacy opened. The first syringes were made of pewter. An incision was made into the skin, the pewter syringe would be filled with the medication and it was basically squirted into the incision (because they had not yet invented needles that could puncture the skin)! When they realized that they needed a better way to do this, they invented a needle that could go through the skin all by itself – the problem? It was lead. They did not see this as a problem for many years. Even after they created a needle that was not lead, sterilization still was not thing! There are so many things that used to be done that are crazy to even think about. We learned that they used to put a substance in makeup that (unbeknownst to them) caused the blood vessels in your face to rupture – something that soon became fashion trend. They used to coat medications in silver and gold for the rich, neither of which are digestible. And, the one that I find the most baffling, they used to sell opium (the key ingredient to opiates) over the counter to anyone of any age. Not only this though, they used to lace red wine with certain drugs like cocaine and label it Mother’s Quietness – something sold to help kids sleep better ad sooth the pain of teething toddlers! We have come so far!