Presenting Hans Sloane Lecture

Remedies from the New World in James Petiver’s (1665-1718) Apothecary Practice:
To be given by Katrina Maydom

In the late seventeenth century, English imports of American medicinal substances, such as sassafras, guaiacum, and sarsaparilla, increased significantly, reflecting expanding colonial trade, territorial acquisitions like Jamaica, and growing demand for pharmaceuticals. In this lecture, Dr Katrina Maydom explores the reception of these drugs in early modern English medicine, focusing on London apothecary James Petiver and his use of these remedies in both commercial and institutional contexts, including the Charterhouse and St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Dr Katrina Maydom completed her PhD in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, where she was funded by the Wellcome Trust. Her thesis investigated the production, trade and consumption of New World drugs in the early British empire.

The Hans Sloane Lecture was established in 1973 to commemorate the tercentenary of the Physic Garden at Chelsea and named in honour of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. PRCP, who granted the lease of the garden to the Society in perpetuity for a nominal rent. It is devoted to the history of botany and especially the part played in it by the Apothecaries.

Date: Tuesday 10 June 2025

Time: 6.30 pm
Location: Chelsea Physic Garden
Dress code:  Casual

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Contact: AcademicEvents@apothecaries.org