Victorian Pharmacy

Released: 2010-07-15

Runtime: 60 minutes

Episode Overview

A look at the world of the pharmacy at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign in 1837. In a unique experiment, historian Ruth Goodman, Professor Nick Barber and PhD student Tom Quick recreate an authentic 19th-century pharmacy. The team discovers the world of the pharmacy at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign in 1837; a world where traditional remedies, such as leeches, oil of earthworm and potions laced with cannabis and opium, held sway. After sampling some of the old ways, the team ventures into new discoveries, such as the Malvern water cure, the bronchial kettle for curing coughs, and the invention of Indian tonic water.

Series Overview

Victorian Pharmacy is a historical documentary TV series in four parts, first shown on BBC Two in July 2010. It was made for the BBC by independent production company Lion Television. It was filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town in Shropshire. It is a historical documentary that looks at life in the 19th Century and how people attempted to cure common ailments. Since some of the ingredients of Victorian remedies are now either illegal or known to be dangerous, Nick Barber often uses his modern pharmaceutical knowledge to produce similar products without those ingredients. The other main presenters are Tom Quick, a PhD student, and Ruth Goodman, a domestic historian who also appeared in Tales from the Green Valley, Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm.