The Chemist Shop Counter and Drugs Run

The Counter was the main focus of the chemist shop and it was here that the dispensing of drugs was carried out. The Pharmacist had every thing near to hand needed for dispensing – measuring jugs, pestle and mortar, bottles, paper sachets, labels, corks, pill machine etc.

The Drugs Run, behind the counter, contained all the ingredients needed. Liquid ingredients were in the bottles, ointments in the jars and dried ingredients in the drawers. Using a Pharmacopoeia for reference, the Pharmacist measured liquids together and dispensed them to the customer in bottles, ointments were mixed on a slab and dispensed in jars. Dried ingredients were first fixed into a binder, consistency of fondant icing, which was rolled into long stips, these were then cut into pill size doses with a pill machine, the pill was then made spherical in shape by hand.

Victorian Pharmacists not only dispensed medicines issued by a Doctor, many people came to them instead of the Doctor for advice on ailments and remedies. From the mid 1800s, drug manufacturers were producing ready made medicines which could be brought over the counter, e.g. Dr. Pinks Pills for Pale People and Carters Little Liver Pills. Chemists made their own bronkure mixture for coughs and colds and ‘pick me up’ tonics. Perks and Llewellyn sold Dr. Young’s tonic which, ‘steadies the nerves; invigorates the whole body; stimulates the appetite; gives strength after illness; of very great value when low, depressed, weak, irritable, gloomy, or nerves on edge’!

Other products you could find in a Victorian Chemist Shop were photographic equipment, perfumes and veterinary products.


A high percentage of ingredients on the drugs run in liquid, ointment or dried form, are plant based. Today many of the ingredients in medicines are chemically manufactured.

Once the chemist shop was installed at Hitchin Museum in May 1990, The Herts Medical and Pharmaceutical Trust, began their second project, creating a Physic Garden next to museum to reflect the different uses of plants; medicinal, culinary and industrial. All the labour and materials for the Physic Garden were donated voluntarily. Over 100 plants were carefully chosen for the gardern which fitted into different categories – internal ailments, external ailments, culinary and industrial. The Physic Garden is by the side of the Museum. Examples of the plants you will find are;

Fleabane: treat kidney infections, also used as an insecticide.
Cuckoo Pint – root used for laundry starch.
Sage - used for flavouring in cooking and good for sore throats.