Chapter I: Preface

It has been my endeavour in the following pages to sketch, however imperfectly, some phases of the romance and mystery that have surrounded the arts of medicine, alchemy, and pharmacy from the earliest period of which we have record down to the close of the eighteenth century. The influence of the past on the present is greater than we commonly suppose. In this age of rapid scientific progress and brilliant research, we are apt to overlook and lose sight of the patient labours of the early pioneers of science, many of whom laid the foundations of discoveries that have since proved of inestimable value to mankind. Hence the history of the past, whether in science or in art, is always worthy of study and attention.

My thanks are due to the Editor of the _Pharmaceutical Journal_ for permission to reproduce several illustrations which appeared in its pages together with a portion of this work.

C. J. S. T

LIVERPOOL, 1897.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

CHAPTER I.

THE DAWN OF THE ART OF HEALING.

The foundation of the art of healing—The most ancient record
of medicine and pharmacy—The _Ebers Papyrus_—Origin of the
term pharmacist—Drugs used in ancient Egypt—Early Jewish
medicines—The antiquity of medicine and alchemy in China—The
Chinese and the Philosopher’s Stone—Ancient Chinese _materia
medica_—The medical art in ancient Greece—The Grecian temples
of medicine—Methods of treatment—The oath of Hippocrates
_pages_ 1-13

CHAPTER II.

THE WIZARDS OF EARLY GREECE.

Tiresias—Abaris—Pythagoras—Epimenides—Empedocles—Aristras—
Hermotimus _pages_ 14-23

CHAPTER III.

THE WIZARDS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

A Roman sorceress—Virgil’s sorceress—Canidia—A witches’
incantation _pages_ 24-29

CHAPTER IV.

THE FATHERS OF MEDICINE.

Æsculapius—Hippocrates—Diocles—Praxagoras—Chrysippus—
Hierphilus—Erasistratus—Serapion—Asclepiades—Galen—His
system of treatment—Medical practice in the fifth
century—Alexander of Tralles—The fees of Roman
practitioners—Votive offerings for health—Roman
_donaria_—Roman temples of healing _pages_ 30-38

CHAPTER V.

THE EARLY AGE OF GREEK AND ROMAN PHARMACY.

Celsus—Roman pharmacy—Methods of administration—Antidotes—Grecian
remedy for hydrophobia—Chemical bodies and drugs employed
by the Greeks and Romans—Dioscorides—His work on _materia
medica_—Ancient method of collecting opium—Preparation of wool
fat—Drugs used in Pompeii and Herculaneum _pages_ 39-46

CHAPTER VI.

ALCHEMY—THE ALCHEMISTS.

Origin of the term chemistry—Practice of the hermetic science
by the Egyptians—Al-Chindus—Geber—Rhazes—Merlin—St.
Dunstan—Albertus Magnus—Vincent de Beauvais—Raymond
Lulli—Arnauld de Villeneuve—Roger Bacon—Antonio
Quainer—Discoveries made by the early alchemists—Eck—John
Baptist Porta—Cornelius Agrippa—Dr. Dee—Symbols of the
alchemists _pages_ 47-63

CHAPTER VII.

THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE.

Alchemical research—Its objects—Supposed composition of the
Philosopher’s Stone—Claimants to the discovery—The theories of
Rhazes, Merlin and Bacon—Bacon’s definition of alchemy—Ripley’s
process—The Elixir of Life—The theories of Paracelsus—His
secret elixirs—Elixir Vitæ _pages_ 64-71

CHAPTER VIII.

THE BLACK ART AND OCCULT SCIENCES.

The antiquity of magic—Early magicians and wise men—Variety
of forms practised—Oneiromancy—Theurgy and Goetry—Historic
dreams—Necromancy—Methods of evocation—Chiromancy—Origin
of the practice—Astrology—Its antiquity—Famous astrologers
_pages_ 72-78

CHAPTER IX.

THE ART OF FORETELLING.

Influence of the planets and signs of the Zodiac—Casting
horoscopes—Methods of divination—Crystal
gazing—Dactylomancy—Pyromancy _pages_ 79-82

CHAPTER X.

BLACK MAGIC.

Practice of magic by the early alchemists—Demonology—Initiation
of novices—Taking the oath—The ceremonial—Perfumes
employed—Composition of the incense used—Black magic by
burning—Witchcraft—Methods of practice—Trial of the Duchess
of Gloucester—The “evil eye”—Apparitions in the sky—A
witches’ Sabbath—Appearance of the devil—Origin of the word
“witch”—Their initiation and pact _pages_ 83-89

CHAPTER XI.

SUPERSTITION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON MEDICINE.

Origin of incantations and charms—The cure of disease by poetry
and music—Ancient theory of the cause of disease—Precious
stones as remedial agents—Influence of the planets on
herbs—Survival of old superstitious customs—The “coral
and bells”—Sympathetic powders—Curing by touch—Empirical
nostrums—The doctrine of Signatories—Ancient superstitious
practices _pages_ 90-97

CHAPTER XII.

LOVE PHILTRES.

Composition of philtres—Roman love philtres—Law
against their use—Greek Love philtres—Ingredients
employed—Botanomancy—“Water of Magnanimity” _pages_ 98-101

CHAPTER XIII.

THE PIONEERS OF PHARMACY AND BOTANY—PHYSIC GARDENS.

Drugs used by the Arabs—Avicenna—Basil Valentine—Paracelsus—His
life and teaching—Van Helmont—Monastic
Gardens—Mesué—Ebor-Taitor—The medical treatment of the
monks—Hildegarde—Gilbert and Hernicus Arviell—Simon de
Cordo—Peter de Crescenzi—Bartholomew Glanvil—Advent of
printing—George Agricola—Conrad Gesner—Jacques Gohory—The
_Jardin des Plantes_—William Davisson—Matthias of
Lille—Andrew Cesalpin—The first pharmacopœia—The _London
Pharmacopœia_—The _Dublin Pharmacopœia_—The _British
Pharmacopœia_—The Chelsea Physic Garden—Its origin—Thomas
Dover—The “quicksilver doctor”—His exploits _pages_ 102-117

CHAPTER XIV.

AMULETS, TALISMANS AND CHARMS.

Their antiquity—Definition—Object of their use—Egyptian
amulets—Grecian amulets—Roman amulets—Chinese
amulets—Knightly talismans—Precious stones as
talismans—Metallic amulets—Written amulets—Amulet
rings—Curious articles used as amulets—Charms—The “Lee
Penny”—The “Holy Hand”—Medical Charms—Early British
charm—Toadstones—Medicinal virtues of the toad—Roman charm for
prolonging life _pages_ 118-137

CHAPTER XV.

MONK PHYSICIANS—ITINERANT DOCTORS—SURGERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

Monk physicians and their methods of treatment—Early
hospitals—Their originators—The first school of nurses—Medical
faculties of the thirteenth century—Examinations for title of
master physician and surgeon—Barber surgeons—Itinerant barbers
in France—Credulity of the public—Medical art in the fifteenth
century—Surgery in the time of the Crusades—Early tests for
water—Methods of disinfection _pages_ 138-146

CHAPTER XVI.

PLANT LORE—DRUG CHARMS—FOLK MEDICINE.

The mystery of dragon’s blood—Charms and superstitious
practises connected with dragon’s blood—Use of dragon’s
blood by the ancients—Modern practitioners of magic—Magic
properties attributed to the walnut—Sage—Rue—Henbane—Moon
Wort—Solomon’s Seal—Anemone—Trefoil—St. John’s
Wort—Dill—Thistle—House-leek—Pimpernell—Vervain—Magic
wreathes—Hawkweed—Mountain Ash—Squill—Mandrake—Method of
gathering the mandrake—Abrunes—The willow as a symbol of
sorrow—Almonds—The bachelor’s button—The bean and nut—White
hawthorn—Ferns and fern seeds—Leaves of peculiar shape—Black
hellebore—Ceremonial rites observed when collecting the
root—Peony—Forget-me-not—Elder _pages_ 147-165

CHAPTER XVII.

MUMMIES AND THEIR USE IN MEDICINE—THE UNICORN.

The art of embalming and its antiquity—Various processes
employed—The cost of embalming—The practitioners of the
art—The drugs and substances employed—Process used for the
poorer people—The veneration of mummies by the Egyptians—Trade
in mummies for use in medicine—Fictitious mummies—How to tell
genuine mummy—The dose and medicinal properties—The price
in 1685—Varieties of mummies used in medicine—Process for
preparing artificial mummy—Methods of administration—Human
fat and its medicinal properties—Human skulls and their
value—Human bones and other animal substances as remedial
agents—The Unicorn—Its appearance described—Properties
attributed to the horn—Where the horn was obtained—The value of
the horn—A horn presented to King Charles I.—Virtues attributed
to it _pages_ 166-174