Cordiners Artifacts: No 3 - Our snuff mull

Many of the Crafts possess snuff mulls and pass them round at the end of their Choosing Dinners. According to Craig Bryce's commentary on the tradeshousemuseum.org site, "a pinch of snuff is taken from the box and spread along the fleshy part of the upper thumb and then half is inhaled up each nostril.   The idea is that the snuff irritates the nasal passages and clears the airways."

In the present writer's view the only thing likely to be irritated by such a disgusting habit is the unfortunate neighbours of the snuffer (and the watchful pianist) but thankfully hardly anybody actually tries it......

The mulls themselves are splendid items, usually made out of animal horns and richly decorated with silver, stones such as Cairngorms and coats of arms. Ours is a splendid example and we are much to civilised to encourage public sneezing by passing it round....

Photographed by George Mahoney

Note for your diary!

A team from the Cordiners will be doing the WEE WANDER (6 miles) on the Kiltwalk in Glasgow on Sunday 26th April. Please join us or if you cannot pledge some money! We are walking in aid of our Body and Sole initiative to help provide suitable footwear for young people in Glasgow to participate in sport and outward-bound activities, like the Duke of Edinburgh Award. This is a very important health intervention and worthy of our support. Please do not sign up yet, as we have still to finalise the account details. Watch this space!