Title
Vinum Antimonii (Antimonial Wine) Apothecary Bottle
Image
Description
This clear glass apothecary bottle with ground glass stopper is labeled VIN. ANTIM., the Latin abbreviation for Vinum Antimonii—Antimonial Wine. This preparation consisted of wine infused with tartar emetic (antimony potassium tartrate), once widely prescribed as an expectorant, diaphoretic, and emetic. It was thought to induce sweating and vomiting, believed to help purge illness from the body.
The bottle retains its original enameled label, decorated with geometric arrows. It would have once held a potent, toxic preparation that fell out of medical favor due to its dangerous side effects and frequent overdosing.
Condition
Bottle and stopper in good condition with some internal residue and wear. Label shows staining and aging but remains legible.
Gallery
Historical context
Antimony compounds had been used in medicine since antiquity. By the 17th and 18th centuries, Vinum Antimonii became a standard pharmacopeia item, prescribed for fevers, respiratory complaints, and as part of heroic medicine’s harsh regimen of purging, bleeding, and sweating. By the late 19th century, however, medical consensus turned against antimonial wine due to its toxicity and inconsistent results.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
Tartar emetic was notorious for its violent emetic action—inducing projectile vomiting.
Antimony was also used in “antimony cups,” where wine left standing would absorb enough to act as a dose.
Poisonings were common, and by the early 20th century, safer alternatives replaced the preparation.
Excerpt
“Vinum Antimonii. An officinal preparation containing tartar emetic, employed as a diaphoretic and expectorant, but often causing nausea and dangerous prostration.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
This bottle represents the darker side of historical medicine—where dangerous toxins like antimony were deliberately ingested under the belief that purging equaled cure. It stands as a stark reminder of the thin line between remedy and poison in pre-modern therapeutics.
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