Oversize botanical models like the one above were used in the classroom.

In a time before synthetic medicines, pharmacy students of the late 19th century studied medicinal plants which were the source of most drugs. Opium is one of the world's oldest known medicines and arguably one of the most important, used for pain relief and as a sleep aid. Poppies have been known since ancient times to be the source of opium, a 'milk' produced in their seed pods. The objects below explore the power and seduction of the poppy for turn-of-the-century Americans. While we can't know for sure, these concerns over opium may have inspired the famous scarlet field. passed legislation to control the distribution of opium and coca. In 1914, only five years before Baum's death, the U.S. peaked in the late 19th century, just around the time Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, grew up and lived in a world where the poppy and its derivative, opium, would have been a common part of everyday life. Excerpt from The Wonderful Wizard of OzВ (book, published 1900)Д«oth the book and the film The Wizard of OzВ feature iconic scenes of Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly Lion (the only flesh and blood members of the gang), lulled to sleep by a field of poisonous poppies.ДЄ deadly flower might seem curious at first, but poppies, of course, are no ordinary bloom. вЂњThe smell of the flowers is killing us all.' 'If we leave her here she will die,' said the Lion. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about so presently her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep. 'Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers, he sleeps on and on forever. The Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of OzВ (movie, released 1939) poppies, poppies, poppies will put them to sleep.' 'And now my beauties, something with poison in it I think, with poison in it, but attractive to the eye and soothing to the smell.

Eternal poison preowned