Medicine Stamp
HC.Z.4.2
Impressions from a Roman Oculist Medicine Stamp in wax, mounted on card with handwriten label. James Young Simpson wrote about this particular stamp in the Monthly Journal of Medical Science, January, March, and April 1851. The stamp was found in the early nineteenth century at Tranent in East Lothian, not far distant from the Eoman settlement or Municipium at Inveresk. It is possible that this impression was made by Simpson himself as part of his archeological research, having been to see it in person at the Scottish Antiquities Society Museum.
Oculists were specialised eye doctors who treated eye diseases, and the original stamp would have been used to mark either semi-solid blocks of eye-ointment before they became hard or the seals on jars. They usually contained information on the maker, what the medicine was for and what it was made of.
The stamp reads:
L VALLATINI EVODES AD CI CATRICES ET ASPRITUDIN [L. Vallatinus' Evodes for cicatrices and granulations]
L VALLATINI APALOCRO- CODES AD DIATHESIS [L. Vallatinus' mild Crocodes for affections of the eyes]
Evodes refers to the pleasant smell of the mixture, while 'Crocodes' refers to one of the main components being the crocus, or saffron.
Nineteenth century, mid
