Many of the products on sale today in our high street chemist can trace their origins back to Victorian formulations. Sun cream lotion, treatments for insomnia, dandruff, warts and perfumes are all as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. In this fascinating series, historian Ruth Goodman looks at what was on offer and whether these remedies and recipes were and are still effective. Providing hints, tips, recipes and fascinating historical background, this book shows how many traditional remedies are still in use and how we can make some ourselves. This is also the story of the growth of the high street chemist - how Jesse Boots began with one store in Nottingham in 1849 and went on to have over 250 outlets. Stocking thousands of items, including cleaning products, cosmetics, optical and electrical equipment, as well as medicines and herbal remedies, we have come to rely on these dispensaries of family healthcare.

About the Author

Jane Eastoe has been a journalist and author for 25 years and a garden designer and horticulturalist for 15 years. She is the chief contributor to the National Trust Book of the Countryside. Her interest in organic living developed as a response to the diverse demands of family life. She is a keen gardener and her passion for chickens began five years ago with the purchase of two pullets. Her books include Wild Food, and Fabulous Frocks.