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Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney
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A packet of Bex powders

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

A packet of Bex powders

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Museum of Human Disease School of Medical Sciences UNSW Australia

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Museum of Human Disease School of Medical Sciences UNSW Australia

At the Museum of Human Disease at the University of New South Wales, you can view a collection of 3,000 specimens of human tissue. As a museum of pathology, our specimens are utilised in the study of human disease and as such our specimens are obtained both from organs removed surgically and from tissue obtained at autopsy, where the natural history of disease is in full view. Each specimen is accompanied by a clinical history and some specimens are over 100 years old and are irreplaceable. The Museum contains examples of both infectious and non-infectious diseases. Some diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria are now quite rare in Australia due to vaccination and public health programs. Other infectious diseases such as HIV and Tuberculosis still remain as major problems within the community. Many diseases associated with lifestyle are also available to view and provide great evidence to the cause of correct lifestyle choices. The Museum houses exhibits on smoking, obesity, alcohol, drugs and mental health.

Bex Powders

Bex Powders, or Bex APC, were over-the-counter painkillers developed by Beckers Pty Ltd in Adelaide in the 1930s and manufactured in Sydney from the 1960s. Although there were a number of similar products on the market Bex Powders were so popular the brand became a cultural icon. The powders, which were often overused, were found to cause cancer and kidney failure and were banned in the 1970s.

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A compound analgesic that comprised aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine produced from the 1920s by Beckers Pty Ltd. All APC compounds were banned in 1977 after the discovery of its harmful effects.