The non chocolate lover

 So I started writing a Valentine's Day post yesterday, but beyond stopping to snap this in passing [Valentine is the patron saint of bees] I found my heart wasn't in it so I scrapped it. The older I get the more rebellious I am about rampant commercialism and the more I dig my heels in about conforming. I understand that for many it's a day they hold dear and thus I hope that those who celebrated had a jolly good time. I'm not completely hard hearted as I did my usual and bought Mr GBT a packet of his favourite chocolate biscuits. It's always a win in his book as there's no need to share as I'd already got myself crisps. Unlike himself I quite like chocolate, but crisps will always win out. Even Mr GBT's love of the stuff might be challenged by this little delight I found lurking in the cabinet of our town's newest gallery.

The first thing to be said about this rather curious combination is that this little packet of tablets neither contain chocolate nor worms for that matter! This 'medicine' was made by Robert Gibson and Sons. I use the term 'medicine' lightly because we're entering the wild west territory of unregulated Victorian/Edwardian treatments. This particular remedy might have sorted out your intestinal worms, but I'm not so sure that the mercury listed on the ingredients would have done you a whole heap of good. Weirdly they were cinnamon tasting too? This company also made liquorice lozenges which contained chloroform. Whilst it smacks of quackery to us such things were the common antidotes to various medical issues. Give me this type of social history over that of Kings and Queens [I accept this too has its place] any day of the week! 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Arilx