I greatly enjoyed Anthony Carter's paper (March 2003 JRSM1) but feel that he should be aware that at least in the USA mandrake and medicine are still relatively recent bedfellows. While driving through Texas last month I went into a chemist shop in Hondo, near San Antonio, and found a display of old medicine bottles on the shelf. The pharmacist explained it was his hobby and was happy for me to photograph them (Figure 1). I was unable to date the bottle shown but its condition and style did not suggest great age. There was nothing on the label to show the indications for its use.
Figure 1.
Mandrake in the pharmacy
References
- 1.Carter AJ. Myths and mandrakes. J R Soc Med 2003;96: 144-7 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]