Trust me...you need to go....
it's Located in the historic French Quarter between St. Louis and Toulouse Streets
this is not just ANY Pharmacy...no..no...this is Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic building within the Vieux Carre Historic District.
It is the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
In 1823, the first licensed pharmacist in the United States, Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., opened an apothecary shop here
this is an experience not to be missed. The tour is $5 and takes about 45 minutes and you will learn about things you never dreamed were possible !
if you're looking for an outdated cure, illicit drugs like a cool bottle filled with opium or herion (used back then as a 'pain management' treatment..oh boy) , or a jar of living leeches..you have come to the right place. It's straight out of history yet it seems so impossible !!
It's a place where bone saws and all types of early surgical instruments are right in front of your nose, scaring you half to death !!
it's about history, voodoo potions, artifacts, absurd medications and blood-letting tools and it's a visual & mystical disneyland of bottles and ointments !
The Creole-style town house doubled as Dufilhos home, and he cultivated the herbs he needed for his medicines in the interior courtyard (pictures below)
this is when medicine was barely more than snake-oil potions.
written prescriptions were kept in 'files' that looked like this...AMAZING !
and these were prescription ledgers
very 'mixed media' looking, wouldn't you say !
cue the spooky music...
Children were sometimes given alcohol mixed in with the medicine because it made the medicine taste better....and we're upset about medical marijuana !!??!!
or how about tampons coated with belladonna & opium...
OY VEY !!
a device for counting pills
now here is a courtyard...
and inside you climb the spiral staircase to the upstairs where the 'patient' would be housed.
scared the crap outta me !!!!
well...Im hoping this little 'tour' makes you sincerely want to visit NOLA....I can't wait to go back...and tomorrow I'll have even MORE to show you !!
YES I WILL !!
I never know where we are going but boy do I enjoy the views! Thanks again for taking us on these wonderful tours. Places most of us probably will never ever get to see w/o you!
Love your pics and sights and happening tours!
Posted by: pat q | February 27, 2013 at 06:18 PM
What a place! Thanks for the tour:)
Posted by: Sue Roddis | February 27, 2013 at 04:29 AM
As a pharmacist I love the history of medicine!!! And have always seen the correlation between it and mixed media as you referenced!!! Loved the post and keep them coming!!!
Posted by: Tara C | February 26, 2013 at 11:54 PM
Wow! This place looks absolutely amazing. Thanks for all the pictures and info.
Posted by: Joanna Kelley | February 26, 2013 at 10:30 PM
This is my favorite blog post EVER. I want to get on a plane at this very moment!
Posted by: Wendy | February 26, 2013 at 08:25 PM
I'm so happy we were able to make it for that tour, it was fabulous and you captured the mood of it very well. Thanks for the overview. Oy Vey is right!!
Posted by: Karen | February 26, 2013 at 07:57 PM