The antimonial cup – a doctor's 'cure' designed to make you sick

Angus Patterson, Senior Metalwork Curator at the V&A, reveals a mysterious and highly toxic object from not one, but two unusual boxes. 

Find out what's inside the boxes, who used it and why rogue doctors in the 17th century recommended it for purging the body of a huge variety of ailments.

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'Streamliner', meat slicer, designed by Egmont Arens and Theodore C. Brookhart in 1940, manufactured by Hobart manufacturing Co from 1944, USA. Museum no. M.222-2011. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

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Antimonial cup with case and box, unknown maker, about 1680 – 1720, England. Museum no. 1370A to D-1900. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London