Name 1
A BOTTLE WITH CALOMEL
Name 2
/
ID number
002.411.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Center, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Republic of Slovenia
Local / Original ID Number
/
Type of Object
Daily life
Description
Short description
A small brown bottle, which contains mercury (I) chloride or calomel. On the front, the bottle has a label with a contents declaration, manufacture date, weight of the contents, and the manufacturer’s name. It is closed with a cork plug, which is chipped at the top.
Measures
Length 4 cm, width 2 cm, height 2 cm.
Materials
Mercury (I) chloride, glass, cork.
Dating
1906
Author / Producer
Sharp & Dohme, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Picture attachments
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Original use
Mercury (I) chloride or calomel was used in medicine. From the 16th century onwards, it was prescribed by famous Paracelsus as an effective diuretic and it effectively treated syphilis. It was later mixed with sugar and was given to children for lowering body temperature with meningitis, pneumonia and typhus. It was also used for treating skin diseases. Today, it is used for scientific research in the field of electro-chemistry.
Present use
The bottle with calomel is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg Smelting Collection. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum display “From Ore to Mercury Drops” in the Hg Smelting Plant, which represents the characteristics and the versatile use of mercury in science, technology, medicine, culture and every day life. Within the exhibition the object is placed in the density segment of mercury compounds and it presents the usefulness of mercury for medicine purposes.
Original location
Location information is not known.
Present location
Hg Smelting Plant (From Ore to Mercury Drops), Arkova 50, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The bottle with calomel is well preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premise is taken care off.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- CUDHg Inventory Book.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
17. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never