Rows of vials and bottles in coloured glass, exquisite pottery, and polished wooden tables—one could mistake the German Pharmacy Museum at the Heidelberg Castle as an art gallery by its aesthetics. The museum explores the history of pharmacy and medicine in which Germany has played a central role.
In 1231, under Emperor Frederick II, an official recognition of pharmacies with duties and rights were laid out. Public dispensaries started off as medieval stalls or huts, surrounding churches, where people bought remedies. Later apothecaries opened offices, where medicine was dispensed from a window. The progress of medicine from belief in miracle cures, faith healing, alchemy and superstition, to a rigorous, scientific discipline is exhibited.
The showstoppers are the officinas or medieval dispensaries, which have been transported from their original sites and re-assembled. The first is from the Benedictine Monastery at Schwarzach, with its Baroque style furnishings—60 carefully labelled drawers, painted light green with open shelves on the wall lined with glass jars, statues of the Greek God of Healing and his daughter Hygieia standing on the oak table top, alongside a set of balances and weights.
The next officina is from the Ursuline Convent at Klagenfurt, built in 1730, part of a monastery. The third is from the Court Pharmacy of Bamberg, which used to supply medicines to Prince Bishop’s court. Made of polished oak in the ornate Rococo style, from the 18th century, it has cupboards and drawers, lined with vials of substances, a prescription table, porcelain vessels sealed with a lead glaze where oily substances could be stored. The fourth officina is the most beautiful one, full of artisanal beauty, made of red cherry wood, from the 19th century apothecary of Ulm. Unlike other apothecaries, the shelves are all closed with wooden shutters, so that light and vermin could not destroy the remedies, with each cupboard alphabetically labelled.
In another room, there are 28 lighted showcases that display remedies and cures, from the 17th to the 19th century. Magical cures such as mandrake, narwhal tusk, ground scorpion, and shells; minerals and salts; extracts from plants and fruits; natural remedies such as chamomile, garlic and spices; and Aspirin and insulin in retro packaging are on display.
One exhibit showcases artifacts from the past—a travel first aid kit of medieval times from Augsburg, made of ivory with silver mounts, equipped with small bottles, spoons, little knives; a home remedy kit, with small vials of remedies and a textbook with fading, yellow pages written by German Chemist, Johann Bartholomaus Trommsdorf in 1794.
For those whose impression of medicine and pharmacies is sterile, white interiors, and modern medicines in foil, the museum is a great journey back into time.
CORRIGENDUM
The story headlined Special Summit (issue dated November 24, 2019) was written by Vivasvat Chauhan, but was wrongly attributed to Dhiren Chauhan. The error is regretted.