Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine

中文

Exhibited items

  • Kenneth Russell inspects part of the exhibition of ancient Chinese medicine sent out to Melbourne by the Wellcome Institute of the History of Medicine, London, 1968
    Digital reproduction of photograph

    Medical History Museum, University of Melbourne

  • Steelyard with ivory beam, brass pan and faceted brass weight, 1880-1920
    Bamboo, brass complete, ivory, silk string and wood
    China

    Medical History Museum, University of Melbourne

  • Mortar and pestle set, with wax seal, c. 1870
    Stoneware and wood
    China

    Gift of Lady Meriel Wilmot-Wright, 1992
    Medical History Museum, University of Melbourne

  • Herb order correspondence and invoices, c. 1920s
    Ink on paper

    Gift of Dr Dorothy Chong and family, 1994
    Rare East Asian Collection, Archives and Special Collections

  • Chinese medicine : an exhibition illustrating the traditional system of medicine of the Chinese people, 1966

    Catalogue of a Chinese medicine exhibition in London sent to
    Melbourne in 1968
    London: The Wellcome Historical Medical Museum and Library

    Gift of Dr J Orde Poynton
    Rare Books, Archives and Special Collections

  • Andreas Cleyer
    Germany, 1634–1697
    Michael Boym
    Poland, c. 1612-1659

    Specimen medicinae Sinicae, sive opuscula medica ad mentem Sinensium [Medical Essays according to Chinese Thinking], 1682
    Francofurti: Sumptibus Joannis Petri Zubrodt (Johann Peter Zubrodt)

    Rare Books, Archives and Special Collections

    Written in Latin by the German pharmacist Andreas Cleyer, Medical Essays according to Chinese Thinking was based on notes made by Michael Boym, a Polish Jesuit who studied traditional medicine while living in China. This book shows a great interest in making diagnoses by feeling the pulse, and in Daoist concepts embodied in Chinese medical theories. Illustrations in the book identify acupuncture points on the body; notably, the figures are depicted wearing Chinese robes. It is not certain what drawing models that Cleyer used when he made these illustrations.