What does syr mean on the jar?

This is an abbreviation for syrupus, the Latin word for syrup. Pharmacists used standard Latin abbreviations across Europe to avoid prescribing errors. You'll often find it followed by the name of a specific plant or compound. Jars marked this way usually have wider mouths to handle the thick, sticky liquids.

The glass jar has a lid and smells a bit like old cloves, how do you clean the inside out safely without damaging the label?

Start by working out if the label is painted under the glass or applied to the surface. If it's on the outside, you need to keep it dry during cleaning. Swill warm water and mild dish soap inside the jar. Don't use hot water, as old glass cracks easily under sudden temperature changes. If the clove smell persists, leave a handful of baking soda inside the dry jar for a few days with the stopper in place. This absorbs lingering odours safely.

Are the stoppers supposed to be stuck?

Dried compounds often glue the glass joints together over time. Try wrapping a warm, damp cloth around the neck. The mild heat expands the glass slightly, which usually breaks the seal without forcing it.

The vessel has a little hole right at the bottom edge near the back which looks deliberate, what would a pharmacist have used that for?

That hole indicates the vessel is actually a leech jar rather than a standard apothecary jar. Pharmacists kept live leeches for bloodletting, and they needed oxygen to survive in storage. The small holes provided necessary ventilation. You usually find them near the top rim, but lower holes appear on certain regional variations. They're often large, shaped ceramic pieces. They feature domed lids and sturdy handles, setting them apart from the plain cylindrical stock jars.

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Antique Apothecary Jars

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Antique apothecary jars are cylindrical or baluster-shaped vessels, usually made of glass or glazed pottery and topped with matching lids, designed to hold medicinal powders, liquids, and raw compounds on pharmacy shelves.