Facets

1509

#8445

Medicinae Pliniae libri quinque finiunt foeliciter.

The Medicina Plinii was an anonymous compilation of remedies dating to the early 4th century CE ."The excerptor, saying that he speaks from experience, offers the work as a compact resource for travelers in dealing wi…

1533

#9863

En nyttelig laegebog for fattige og rige, unge og gamle.

Pedersen, a Danish canon, humanist scholar, writer, printer and publisher, wrote and published the earliest medical book issued in Scandanavia by a Scandanavian writer. Translated as "A useful doctor book for poor and…

1534

#9864

Om UrteVand.

Petersen issued a second book, "On herbal extracts" in 1534. According to Stokker, Remedies and rituals: Folk medicine in Norway and the new land (2007) p. 111, Pedersen's two works together contained "250 medical her…

1536

#10961

De medicamentis empiricis physicis ac rationalibus liber.... Edited by Janus Cornarius. Item Claudii Galeni libri novem nunc primum Latini facti.... Jani Cornarii.

The Gallo-Roman physician Marcellus was born in Bordeaux. He may have served as magister officiorum under Theodosius I, or may have been royal physician. Sarton (Introduction to the history of science I, 391) consider…

1546

#9865

Skøn lystig ny Urtegaard.

Smid was one of the first writers on medicine in Scandinavia who was trained in medicine, but according to Stokker, Remedies and rituals: folk medicine in Norway and the new land (2007) p. 111 "had trouble succeeding …

1673

#12972

Nova medicina spirituum: Curiosa scientia & doctrina, unanimiter hucusque neglecta, & à nemine meritò exculta, medicis tamen & physicis utilissima. In quâ Primo Spirituum naturalis constitutio, vita, sanitas temperamenta, ingenia, calidum innatum, phantasiae vires, ideae, astrorum influentiae, μετεμψύχωσις, rerum magnetissimi, sympatiae & antipatiae, qualitates hactenus occultae, aliaq; caeteroquin abstrusa & paradoxa; Dehinc spirituum praeternaturalis seu morbosa Dispositio, causae, curationes per naturam, per diaetam, per arcana majora, palingenesiam, magnetissimum seu sympatheismum, transplantationes, amuleta, ingenuè & dilucidè demonstrantur.

”A very curious work, attributing the causes of many diseases to spirits and basing their cure on this theory. There is a great deal on insanity. The methods of treatment are partly chemical, partly magnetical, even s…

1699

#7965

The dispensary: A poem. In six cantos.

An aggressive criticism of quack medicines, apothecaries who produced them, and physicians who prescribed them.

1703

#8870

A description of the Western Islands of Scotland.: Containing a full account of their situation, extent, soils, product, harbours, bays, tides, anchoring places, and fisheries. The ancient and modern government, religion and customs of the inhabitants, particularly of their druids, heathen temples, monasteries, churches, chappels, antiquities, monuments, forts, caves, and other curiosities of art and nature. Of their admirable and expeditious way of curing most diseases by simples of their own product. A particular account of the second sight, or faculty of forseeing things to come, by way of vision, so common among them. A brief hint of methods to improve trade in that country, both by sea and land. With a new map of the whole, describing the harbours, anchoring places, and dangerous rocks, for the benefit of sailers. To which is added a brief description of the Isles of Orkney, and Schetland.

Martin, who graduated MD from Leiden, included throughout his book detailed and non-judgmental documentation of folk medicine practices and ethnobotanic remedies then in use in the region. Digital facsimile of the 170…

1712

#6374.11

Amoentitatum exoticarum politico-physico-medicarum fasciculi V.

Kaempfer’s illustrated accounts of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion are among the best of the 17th century. They appeared for the first time in the above work and were translated into English in his The History of…

1745

#1831

Aνтιθηεριακά. An essay on mithridatium and theriaka.

Heberden’s first printed work. His criticism of current superstitions conceming these two concoctions resulted ultimately in their removal from the pharmacopoeia. No publisher's name appears on the title page. Digital…

1774

#6451.90

An oration…containing an enquiry into the natural history of medicine among the Indians in North-America; and a comparative view of their diseases and remedies, with those of civilized nations.

Rush was the first American physician to publish a detailed study of native American medicine. Digital facsimile from the Medical Heritage Library, Internet Archive, at this link.

1790

#10002

Essays on fashionable diseases. The dangerous effects of hot and crouded rooms. The cloathing of invalids. Lady and gentlemen doctors. And on quacks and quackery. With the genuine patent prescriptions of Dr. James's fever power, Tickell's aetherial spirit, & Godbold's balsam, taken from the Rolls in Chancery, and under the seal of the proper officers; and also the ingredients and compostion of many of the most celebrated quack nostrums, as analized by several of the best chemists in Europe. By James M. Adair, Formerly M.D.... With a dedication to Philip Thicknesse ... To which is added a dramatic dialogue. Published for the benefit of the tin-miners in Cornwal

An attack on quack medicines, etc. with one of the most verbose title pages of the 18th century. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1790

#13699

Culpeper's English physician; and complete herbal. To which are now first added upwards of one hundred additional herbs, with a display of their medicinal and occult properties, physically applied to the cure of all disorders incident to mankind. To which are annexed rules for compounding medicine according to the true system of nature, forming a complete family dispensatory and natural system of physic. Beautified and enriched with engravings of upwards of four hundred and fifty different plants, and a set of anatomical figures....

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

1794

#8004

Demostracion de las eficaces virtudes nuevamente descubiertas en las raices de dos plantas de Nueva-España, especies de ágave y de begónia, para la curacion del vicio venéreo y escrofuloso ...

Balmis conducted experimental trials on the effectiveness of two Mexican plants, agave and begonia, which were believed, according to folk medicine practices in Mexico, to cure syphilis and scrofula. The trials confir…

1798

#8654

The influence of metallic tractors on the human body, in removing various painful inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatism, pleurisy, some gouty affections, &c. &c: Lately discovered by Dr. Perkins, of North America; and demonstrated in a series of experiments and observations....by which the importance of the discovery is fully ascertained, and a new field of enquiry opened in the modern science of Galvanism, or animal electricity

In 1795 Dr. Elisha Perkins (1741-1799) of Connecticut introduced the use of “Metallic Tractors” for the treatment of a wide range of disorders, including pains in the head, face, teeth, breast, side, stomach, back, rh…

1822

#6988

New guide to health; or botanic family physician, containing a complete system of practice, upon a plan entirely new; with a description of the vegetables made use of, and directions for preparing and adminstering them to cure disease. To which is prefixed a narrative of the life and medical discoveries of the author.

The "Bible" of Thomsonism or "Thomsonian medicine", which employed botanical remedies, often based on native American medicines. Digital facsimile from the Medical Heritage Library, Internet Archive, at this link.

1822

#10751

A narrative of the life and medical discoveries of Samuel Thomson: Containing an account of his system of practice, and the manner of curing disease with vegetable medicine, upon a plan entirely new; to which is added an introduction to his New Guide to Health, or Botanic Family Physician containing the principles upon which the system is founded, with remarks on fevers, steaming, poison &c.

Thomson issued this introductory work shortly before publication of his New Guide. Three issues appeared in 1822: one with 180 pages, another with 182 pages including testimonials, and a 204 page issue with the introd…

1829

#9450

Praktische waarnemingen over eenige Javaansche geneesmiddelen, welke niet alleen vele uitheemsche medicamenten, die thans nog van Europa naar Java moeten worden overgezonden, kunnen vervangen, maar dezelve ook tegen eenige ziekten op het eiland Java heerschende, in werkzaamheid overtreffen.

An early account of Jamu (old spelling Djamu), the traditional medicine of Indonesia, especially Java. "It is a predominantly herbal medicine made from natural materials, such as parts of plants such as roots, bark, f…

c. 1839

#10003

Deadly adulteration and slow poisoning unmasked; or, Disease and death in the pot and the bottle; in which the blood-empoisoning and life-destroying adulterations of wines, spirits, beer, bread, flour, tea, sugar, spices, cheese-mongery, pastry, confectionary medicines, &c. &c. &c. are laid open to the public, with tests or methods for the ascertaining and detecting the fraudulent and deleterious adulterations and the good and bad qualities of those articles: with an exposé of medical empiricism and imposture, quacks and quackery, regular and irregular, legitimate and illegitimate: and the frauds and mal-practices of the pawn-brokers and madhouse keepers. New edition

Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.

1844

#12695

On superstitions connected with the history and practice of medicine and surgery.

Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.

1864 –1866

#6534

Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England. Being a collection of documents, for the most part never before printed, illustrating the history of science in this country before the Norman Conquest. Collected and edited by Oswald Cockayne. 3 vols.

This set contains many texts relating to medieval English medicine and the Anglo-Saxon language. It contains the Herbal of Apuleius in Anglo-Saxon and modern English, the Leechbook of Bald, the text of Sextus Placitus…

1889

#8330

Marcelli De medicamentis liber. Edited Georgius Helmreich.

Marcellus's compendium of pharmacological preparations drawing on the work of multiple medical and scientific writers as well as folk remedies and magic. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1898

#2039

Die Heilpflanzen der verschiedenen Volker und Zeiten.

1908

#2044

Die volkmedizinische Organotherapie und ihr Verhältnis zum Kultopfer.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1909

#8797

Zulu medicine and medicine-men.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1909

#12411

Secret remedies, what they cost and what they contain. Based on analyses made for the British Medical Association.

This exposé of useless or dangerous drugs was followed in 1912 by More secret remedies. What they cost & what they contain. Based on analyses made for the British Medical Association. Digital facsimile of the 1909 wor…

1911 –1936

#12412

Nostrums and quackery: Articles on the nostrum evil and quackery reprinted from the Journal of the American Medical Association. 3 vols.

Cramp was director of the AMA's Propaganda for Reform Department. "In 1911, Cramp published the first of three volumes called Nostrums and Quackery,[3] which would become "a veritable encyclopedia on the nostrum evil …

1919

#8871

Irish ethno-botany and the evolution of medicine in Ireland.

A discussion of Irish materia medica and a summary of the development of medicine in Ireland from the earliest times. Indices in Gaelic and English. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1931

#7062

A modern herbal. The medicinal, culinary, cosmetic and economic properties, cultivation and folk-lore of herbs, grasses, fungi, shrubs & trees with their modern scientific uses. With an introduction by the editor, Mrs. C. F. Leyel. 2 vols.

Online version at Botanical.com at this link.

1932

#6460

Medicine among the American Indians.

Reprinted, New York, Hafner, 1962.

1942

#9284

A study of Delaware Indian medicine practice and folk beliefs.

In this publication Delaware refers to the name of the Native American people known as Lenape, or Leni Lenape, or Delaware people, rather than the U.S. state. In terms of geographical scope, the book covers traditiona…

1961

#12413

The toadstool millionaires.

Chronicles the rise of the patent medicine trade from its beginnings in colonial America until passage of the first federal food and drug law. Digital text available from quackwatch.org at this link.

1963

#7868

Botanic manuscript of Jane Colden, 1724-1766. Edited by H.W. Rickett and E.C. Hall.

Colden was the first distinguished American woman botanist. Her work is known only from an untitled manuscript by her on the flora of the lower Hudson River Valley of New York that is preserved in the Natural History …

1970

#6467.1

American Indian medicine.

Volume 95 of The Civililization of the American Indian Series.

1971

#10857

Peyote: an account of the origins and growth of the Peyote religion.

"The Peyote religion is a medico-religious cult. In considering native American medicines, one must always bear in mind the difference between the aboriginal concept of a medicinal agent and that of our modern Western…

1971

#10858

The pre-Columbian mind: A study into the aberrant nature of sexual drives, drugs affecting behaviour and the attitude towards life and death, with a survey of psychotherapy in pre-Columbian America.

1973

#2068.16

Therapeutics from the primitives to the 20th century, with an appendix: history of dietetics.

Includes a valuable bibliography. First published in German, Stuttgart, 1970.

1973

#10735

Hallucinogens and Shamanism edited by Michael Harner.

Includes Harner's "The Role of Hallucinogenic Plants in European Witchcraft".

1979

#9158

Female complaints: Lydia Pinkham and the business of women's medicine.

"The original 1875 recipe called for unicorn root, life root, blach cohosh, pleurisy root, and fenugreek seed, but alcohol (18-20 percent) gave it a longer shelf life, and shrewd advertising assured its staying power.…

1980

#10736

The way of the shaman: A guide to power and healing.

1985

#8203

Aphrodisiacs: The science and the myth.

1985

#9889

The Traditional medical practitioner in Zimbabwe: His principles of practice and pharmacopoeia.

1988

#8791

Passage of darkness: The Ethnobiology of the Haitian zombie.

1990

#7513

Aztec medicine, health, and nutrition.

1990

#8877

Popular medicine in thirteenth-century England: Introduction and texts.

1992

#7043

Contraception and abortion from the ancient world to the Renaissance.

Riddle argued that the ancient world possessed effective and safe contraceptives and abortifacients; however this knowledge about fertility control, widely held in the ancient world, was gradually lost over the course…

1992

#13344

Vine of the Soul: Medicine men, their plants and rituals in the Columbian Amazonia.

1993

#9017

Tobacco and shamanism in South America.

A comprehensive ethnography of magico-religious, medicinal, and recreational tobacco use among native South American societies, based on a survey of nearly three hundred societies.

1993

#10872

Rio Tigre and beyond: The Amazon jungle medicine of Manual Cordova-Rios

1994

#9937

Tales of a shaman's apprentice: An ethnobotanist searches for new medicines in the Amazon rain forest.