National Museum of American History
TUTIAE PULVER
1790-1810
This drug jar marked "TUTIAE PULVER" would have contained a powder substance including zinc,copper, and lead which was made into an emollient. Pharmaceutical historian George Urdang attributes the containers 1991.0664.0760 through 1991.0664.0825 to Hanau in the late 18th century based on the floral design surrounding the medallion and the initials "HN" on the bottom of many of the jars in the series. However, in a letter to museum curators dated August 1983, the pharmaceutical historian Wolfgang-Hagen Hein wrote that the containers without initials and those marked "FH" were made in Florsheim in the German state of Hesse.
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