In 1635, a major plague epidemic broke out in Amsterdam. Healthcare in that time was poor – resulting in thousands of victims. The city of Amsterdam therefore had a garden planted with medicinal herbs in 1638: the Hortus medicus. This autumn, an exhibition in the Palmenkas will take you back in time: discover the Hortus as the city’s pharmacy!
With the plague epidemic as a trigger, the quality of medical education for apothecaries and doctors had to be improved immediately. Medicinal plants served as the basis for medicines, so knowledge about them was vital. The Hortus medicus became the place where doctors and pharmacists were trained, took their exams and later kept up their knowledge.
The exhibition interactively shows the medical care of the 17th century. You will find out how important plants were, which plants were used for which ailments and exactly how doctors and pharmacists carried out their practices. Take a look inside a real apothecary’s cupboard; full of herb jars, recipes, dried plants and more…
The Hortus thanks former pharmacist and Friend of the Hortus Frans Sitsen for lending us (part of) his private collection. The paper flowers are the amazing work of Stine Berg Evensen.