Antimonial cup

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  Antimonial cup
• Captain Cook's antimonial cup
  Captain Cook's antimonial cup
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  Antimonial cup at Boerhaave Museum

Antimonial Cup

An antimonial cup is a historical medical device used primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a cup made of an alloy containing antimony, a metalloid element. The cup was used to create a medicinal drink believed to have purgative and emetic properties.

History

The use of antimonial cups dates back to the early modern period, a time when alchemy and humoral theory were prevalent in medicine. Physicians of the time believed that antimony had the ability to purify the body by inducing vomiting and purging, which were thought to balance the humors.

Antimony was considered a powerful medicine and was used in various forms, including as a component of the antimonial cup. The practice involved pouring wine or another acidic liquid into the cup and allowing it to sit for a period of time. The acidic nature of the liquid would dissolve a small amount of antimony, which was then ingested by the patient.

Mechanism of Action

The therapeutic effect of the antimonial cup was attributed to the presence of antimony trioxide, which would dissolve into the liquid. When ingested, this compound acted as an irritant to the gastrointestinal tract, causing vomiting and diarrhea. This purgative action was believed to cleanse the body of toxins and restore balance to the humors.

Decline in Use

The use of antimonial cups declined with the advent of more scientific approaches to medicine and the development of safer and more effective treatments. By the 19th century, the practice had largely fallen out of favor as the dangers of antimony poisoning became more widely recognized.

Related Pages

• Antimony
• Alchemy
• Humoral theory
• History of medicine
• Toxicology

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