Mobile Medical Museum

I was very excited to visit the Medical Museum. It's a small museum on the ground floor of Mobile's oldest house, and can be visited by appointment only. Monica, the new curator, led me on a carefully scripted tour that quickly devolved into chatting and giggling as we imagined where exactly one places the hickey jar (a beautiful glass ball with an opening placed against the body, then heated to suck blood to the skin's surface), or marveled that the speculum design hasn't changed in 100 years, or oohed at the intricately carved ebony handles on the civil war saws that de-limbed and probably led to the deaths of hundreds of men. 

At the country doctor display, the portable pharmacies were still stocked with 100 year old pills, some of which had melted slightly against the sides of the glass tubes. "Those are the real thing. Lots of kids think it's candy," Monica says. I say, "I could see why! This one looks like sugar rock candy!" I peered at the label and saw "Methamphetamine". Explains the street name. 

Another display had a prescription pad for medicinal alcohol from the prohibition era. "This sealed bottle was for prescription use and we believe is the only sealed one still in existence, since most were drank." I looked at the bottle of whiskey then grinned at her. "So if we were to suddenly become trapped in here, we're going to bust that thing out right? Aged 100 years!" She laughed and pointed at another selection of bottles. "Then if things get really bad, we can pull out the cocaine too!"

I like Monica. At the end, I got a free gift, a 1920s lens from an optometrist's kit. I squealed with delight and she laughed that no one has been so excited about that. Well worth the $5 entrance and appointment!