COMPLEAT HISTORY OF DRUGGS, TO WHICH IS ADDED, WHAT IS FURTHER
1725. Item #89528
POMET, Pierre. A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF DRUGGS, WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY MONSIEUR POMET, CHIEF DRUGGIST TO THE LATE FRENCH KING LEWIS XIV. TO WHICH IS ADDED, WHAT IS FURTHER OBSERVABLE ON THE SAME SUBJECT, FROM MESS. LEMERY AND TOURNEFORT, DIVIDED INTO THREE CLASSES, VEGETABLE, ANIMAL AND MINERAL; WITH THEIR USE IN PHYSICK, CHYMISTRY, PHARMACY, AND SEVERAL OTHER ARTS. Second edition. London: R. and J. Bonwicke, R. Wilkin, John Walthoe and Tho. Ward, 1725. [22], 419, [8] pp. + 81 (of 86) pp. plates. Title page continued: "Illustrated with above four hundred copper cutts, curiously done from the life; and an explanation of their different names, places of growth, and countries from whence they are brought; the way to know the true from the false; their virtues, &c. A work of very great use and curiosity. Done into English from the originals." 4to., worn calf stamped in blind, with raised bands, leather on rear cover chipped. Ex-library with usual markings. Hinges cracked, ink stamps on front pastedown and title page. Title page printed in red and black. Wonderful copperplate engravings, flora and fauna relating to pharmaceutical use, especially of animals and artifacts - mummies, pyramids, unicorns, whales, shellfish, ruminants, sea skinks, birds, snakes etc. No illustrations of minerals. Dedication is to the "Truly ingenious and learned Dr. Sloane", physician to the Queen, followed by the Preface and "An account of the names of the Authors quoted in this work". Index at rear. Wellcome, Vol. IV, p. 412. Pomet was self-educated in medicinal plants and in Paris was a merchant of pharmaceutical and medicinal products, highly regarded. Included in plants are bark, wood, gum/resin, leaves, flowers, fruits, trees. No plate list; plates are numbered but sometimes number is bound into gutter or trimmed at top edge. Plate (74 in sequence, facing p. 281, plate number cut off at fore-edge), silkworm cultivation, is repaired, chipped 3" x 2" at top left. A few text pages have foxing or small holes, only slight loss of text, and one plate facing p. 193 has ink signature on recto ("John Partridge" - not the astronomer, who died ca. 1715) slightly visible on printed verso. As is.
Price: $850.00