Bits and Bobs: Wellcome Collection

The Henry Wellcome Museum & Library on Euston Road is chock full of intriguing medical antiquities collected by the American-born entrepreneur in the 19th century. Much of what we saw today in the collection may soon be taken off display because, as a docent explained to me, displaying shrunken heads, for example, is no longer acceptable. Here are just a few fascinating things that caught my eye today in this marvelous exhibition..

Walking Sticks that belonged to Charles Darwin

More than 500 votive offerings ended up in Wellcome's collection.
These terracotta Etruscan or Etrusco-Campanian votives on display
are from 4th to 2nd century BC.

A doctor's signboard with human teeth
from China, possible 19th century

Napoleon Bonaparte's Toothbrush!

A shrunken Head
from the Amazon Rainforest

A lock of hair said to have belonged to "Mad" King George III
who lived 1760 to 1820
Scientific tests have revealed high concentration of arsenic
which may have explained his madness.

Acupuncture Figure
from Japan 17th century

Nkisi, a container for spiritual forces,
from the Congo circa 1900

A guillotine blade used during the French Revolution.
The last execution by guillotine in Europe took place
in 1977 in Marseille, France.

An oil portrait of Henry Wellcome

An oil painting of William Prince in Druidic costume.
An eccentric physician and surgeon from Wales,
he opposed marriage, vaccination vivisection, law, government
and orthodox religion. He is best known
for introducing cremation to Britain in the late 1800s.

Henry Wellcome collected hundreds of paintings
including this 18th century painting of a man stabbing a woman.
who we're told was saved by praying to the Virgin Mary.

Henry Wellcome amassed over 4,000 surgical instruments
including many amputation saws and obstetrical forceps.
Many of these were used before anesthetics were developed.