University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Pharmacy
Classification
Pharmacy, General
Accession Number
1980.18.120 a-b
Description
Two piece pill roller consists of slanted base (a) and roller handle (b) made of fine grade mahogany and brass sides and grooves; base plate has two brass side rails and twenty-four fluted brass strip with graduated markings indicating 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 designed for 5 grain medications; roller handl…
Two piece pill roller consists of slanted base (a) and roller handle (b) made of fine grade mahogany and brass sides and grooves; base plate has two brass side rails and twenty-four fluted brass strip with graduated markings indicating 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 designed for 5 grain medications; roller handle has four brass wheels in the side rail and matching fluted brass strip; handle designed with spoke handles.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
top plate - Size: Length 41.0 cm x Width 7.0 cm
bottom plate - Size: Length 34.2 cm x Width 21.0 cm x Depth 2.8 cm
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: Mr. Dean Charters.
Dates
1860
1875
circa 1860-1875
Material
wood: brown; red
metal: brass
Inscriptions
Stamped "6/Gn"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A8-4
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Lots of overall scratches, stains, missing varnish and residual stains, brass discoloured
Copy Type
Original
Research Facts
Stages to making a pill: 1. A prescription for pills would give the weight of medication in one pill and the number of pills required. Multiplying these two figures gave the quantities to be weighed. 2. The medication was mixed with very thick and viscous syrup fo glucose for form a stiff pliable mass, which was rolled to get a 'sausage' shape. 3. The 'sausage' was placed on the pill base grooves and rolled to a length correspond to the number of pills required. 4. The roller handle was guided to cut the 'sausage' and roll the cut pieces that are the pills. 5. to round out the edges, the cut pieces where put into a lidded circular bowl or a pill silverer and rotated until the pieces are round balls. At this time the pills can have a silver, gold or candy coating.
Exhibit History
On display, Queen's University Department of Medicine third floor, August 20, 2013.