Confirmation of the composition in complex mixed pharmaceuticals by micro-synchrotron infrared spectroscopy during the investigation of a medical sea chest, c1850

Abstract

A large medical sea chest was investigated to identify the composition of the various medicines contained within. During the investigation, the complex history of the chest was also revealed, from its likely use on migrant ships travelling from England to Australia to its later use on various rural properties in Victoria and New South Wales. Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) were used in combination to investigate 21 medicines in the chest, to confirm labelled contents and to identify unknown substances and the composition of mixed medicines. Synchrotron micro-infrared analysis was used as well to identify individual particles in two complex mixtures (Dragons Blood and Dover’s Powder), revealing the medicines’ original formulas and the use of adulterants to extend expensive substances. Both toxic and controlled substances were identified within the sea chest, enabling the museum to develop detailed storage and handling plans to reduce the risks to collection users and to conform with legislative requirements.

KEYWORDS:

• Sea chest
• Historic pharmaceuticals
• Infrared
• X-ray fluorescence
• Synchrotron micro-infrared
• Historic medicine

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support of the Australian Synchrotron for the user grant in funding part of this research and the staff of the infrared beamline for their assistance, in particular Mark Tobin and Jitraporn (Pimm) Vongsvivut. My thanks go to the many people who look after the History and Technology Collection at Museums Victoria, in particular Nick Crotty and Hannah Perkins. I would also like to thank my fellow Conservation staff, in particular Alice Cannon and Charlotte Walker who assisted in the work at the Australian Synchrotron. A special thanks also to Alice Cannon for reading the draft of this manuscript and all the helpful suggestion made to improve the text.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rosemary A. Goodall

Dr Rosemary A. Goodall, Material Scientist, Museums Victoria is involved in the identification of materials in the collections focusing on the identification of hazardous substances utilising elemental and vibrational spectroscopy. Recent research includes pharmaceuticals, plastics and hazardous vapours in collection cabinets.