“From the pharmacy of Our Lady, the finest theriac in Venice”. Theriac was a highly prized , extremely expensive medicinal product.To prevent fake theriac being sold, cities such as Venice and Montpellier prepared theriac in public under official supervision. 1601-1800 WellcomeCollection[2560×1703]
by Remote_Finish_9429
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Theriac was a thick syrupy liquid medicine made from as many as 64 different ingredients. Variations of it were made over the centuries in a number of different cultures and it was used as a cure for many illnesses until the end of the 1700s. The ingredients were often strange and exotic. For example, in some recipes the flesh of snakes was considered essential.
The seal has the words “Alla speciara della Madonna.therica fina in Venezia” embossed on the rim. This translates from Italian as “From the pharmacy of Our Lady…the finest theriac in Venice”. The stamp shows Mary and the Christ child with the winged lions of St Mark on either side.
*ammon hillman grunting noises*
It usually contained opium and often hemp as well