The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7399 p547
6 May 2006

Society summary

Museum contributes to exhibition exploring 18th century remedy developed in Bridport

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's museum has lent material to Bridport Museum in Dorset to help it celebrate the connection between the town and the well-known 18th century medicine, Poor Man's Friend ointment.

Poor Man’s Friend was developed by Dr Giles Roberts (1766–1834) in Bridport in the 1790s. It was sold around the world as a treatment for aches and pains for over 200 years and was advertised as a miracle cure for “headache, bruises, gout, etc”. The Society has lent three examples of the ointment pots in which the medicine was sold and also a later packet of Dr Roberts’s “Alterative Pills”.

Briony Hudson, keeper of the museum collections, said: “We are always really pleased when items from our collection are relevant for loan to regional museums. Not only does this reinforce the Society’s museum’s position as a national resource to be drawn upon, but it also means that many more people get to see objects from our collection.”

Bridport Museum is in South Street, Bridport. It is open from 10am to 5pm daily except Sundays from April to October (tel 01308 422116; website www.bridportmuseum.co.uk). The Poor Man’s Friend exhibition continues throughout the museum’s 2006 opening.