Albarello drug jar for Meuse's Syrup of French Lavender, Italy,
1601-1800 The jar on the left hand side was used to store
Sciroppo di Stecade di Mesue, translated from Latin as “Mesue’s
Syrup of French Lavender”. Honey was infused with lavender and
was taken to treat disorders of the brain and nerves, including
paralysis, epilepsy, spasms, tremors and pain. Mesue (777-857
CE) was the European name for Yuhanna Ibn Masawayh, a prominent
Christian physician who wrote in Arabic. ‘Mesue’ was also the
pseudonym of a pharmaceutical writer. St Francis of Assisi (c.
1181-1226) is shown on the drug jar receiving the stigmata from
heaven. His stigmata, which are said to have appeared in 1224,
were the first recorded instance of the phenomenon. He is
believed to have received the stigmata in recognition of the
difficulty of setting up his religious order, the Franciscans.
The jar is shown with a similar example for Mesue’s Syrup of
French Lavender (A42624). Related Themes and Topics There are
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