Semmelweis Orvostörténeti Múzeum

The Semmelweis Museum of Medical History is a place filled with loosely connected items. Some are connected to Dr. Semmelweis, such a reconstruction of a room in his house. His parents once owned a house/grocery on the same site. Others, such as the item above, are less clearly connected.


There were apothecary jars in lots of displays.

There was even a 19th century apothecary reconstructed in the museum.

One display had this microscope. I am still trying to figure out how this works with one eye viewing at an angle.

Above that were prints of the first x-rays taken in Hungary.

And in a display connected in a curious way to health and medicine, we see moulds and wax used for religious healing. You may recall that I showed photos of small icons people made to hang in the church and be the focus of their intercessory prayer for healing, marriage, etc. Well, here are wax versions of those and the wooden moulds for making them.

This is the most interesting wash basin I've ever seen. The way the pitcher is supported and allowed to rotate and pour the water is quite clever.

But this contraption is fascinating. According to one of the staff (who's limited English is far better than my Hungarian) this is for making infused tea for medicinal purposes. The square-ish box on the right is a stove for heating the water (to create steam?) and the round-ish item on the left is where the infusing happens. Not sure what the small, inset containers on the store are for. Perhaps for adding volatiles to the steam to increase efficacy. As I said, the common language was quite limited.

After a stop for a coffee and slice of cake, we headed to the bus stop to catch our ride home. Across the street is this apartment building. I copped out this section of it to show people going about their lives and ignoring the street activity. This is life in the city.