Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 654

WILLIAM SALMON (1644-1713) Pharmacopoeia Londinensis. Or, The new London dispensatory. Printed by Thomas Dawks 1678 [16] 896 pp. 18.7 cm.

Salmon was one of the earliest and most successful writers on popular science and medicine. He had little or no scientific or medical background but nevertheless became very successful and had an impressive career as a self-styled physician. His personal library contained several thousand items, and he wrote widely on a variety of subjects. His remedies enjoyed great popularity and included "Cordial Drops," "Balsam," "Elixir of Life," and "Family Pills," all of which acquired a great reputation. The Royal College of Physicians first published an official pharmacopoeia in 1618 (see No. 519 ff.). In 1649 Nicholas Culpeper (see No. 505 ff.) published an English translation of their Latin pharmacopoeia. His act infuriated the College because their remedies were now exposed to public scrutiny. Nevertheless, Culpeper's translation became quite popular and had been reprinted at least ten times before the present work appeared. This was Salmon's first translation of the College's pharmacopoeia and it too became popular for he followed it with new editions in 1682, 1685, 1691, 1696, and 1701. Although faithful to the College's basic text, Salmon does not hesitate to add his own comments as well as formulas and recipes when appropriate. The final series of chapters on the practice of chemistry were added by Salmon and are not present in the College's pharmacopoeia.

See Related Record(s): 519 505

Cited references: Cushing S36; Waller 8425 (4th ed., 1691)

Gift of John Martin, M.D.