Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 519

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regalis Medicorum Londinensis. Impensis P. Wilson et J. Esdall 1746 176 pp. 15.5 cm.

The College of Physicians was incorporated by charter during the reign of Henry VIII in 1518. The idea of preparing an official pharmacopoeia was first considered by the College in 1585, but it was not until 1618 that it finally appeared in print. Updated revisions of the Pharmacopoeia were issued in 1650, 1677, 1721, 1746, 1788, 1809, 1824, 1836, and 1851. The present revision of 1746 was begun in 1738, and most of the next eight years was spent in conducting the necessary chemical and pharmaceutical experiments. This Pharmacopoeia was a great improvement over the previous revision of 1721 with great reduction in the number of simples, preparations, and compounds. This revision contained only 272 simples as contrasted with the 1,028 in the 1618 work, and only 378 preparations and compounds as compared with the 932 in the 1618 work.

Cited references: Cushing R277 (1618 ed.); Garrison-Morton 1821 (1618 ed.); Waller 7386; Wellcome 4983 (1618 ed.)