Jenny Yearous <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message
news:MUSEUM-L%1999111014114725@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM...
...> have a lot of drugs/medicines in them including strychnine, digitalis,
> morphine, and nitroglycerine.  We are debating if we should leave the
> bottles of medicine as is, or if we should dispose of the contents (drugs)
> but keep the bottles
....
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We have a large pharmacy collection as well as the complete contents of a
Chinese herbalist store (which operated in Victoria, BC, Canada
c.1910-c.1970).

At our museum we have kept some medicine containers intact, some have been
emptied and some of those were refilled with inert materials, and we are
keeping samples from other containers. Accurate records of any such changes
would be nice!

The herbalist collection, most of which is on display in our 1920s museum
village, is now a problem due to bugs. As our Conservator deals with this by
freeze fumigation in our walk-in freezer, I have instructed her to bag and
tag samples of each type of medicine/herb and have given her permission to
discard the rest of the infested contents. The collection is possibily
unique as a study opportunity - the complete contents of a Chinese herbalist
store for a certain time-period. Modern Chinese herbalist stores have
different stock in some cases. Our collection is a time-capsule of this
fascinating part of our history.

I believe that museums remain the best place for many researchers to go to
find examples of old medicines, herbs, concoctions, foods etc. so I
personally like the idea of at least saving samples.

Staff safety is a factor especially with poisons, as are laws regarding
drugs.

Colin Macgregor Stevens
Museum Curator
Burnaby Village Museum
6501 Deer Lake Avenue
Burnaby,  BC, V5G 3T6,  CANADA
Phone: (604) 293-6500  FAX: (604) 293-6525
Business e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Museum Webpage:
http://www.burnabyparksrec.org/villagemuseum/villagemuseum.html

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