Introduction 15 



In fact, outside of the botanic field, oyster shell, 

 graphite, lachesis, sepia, burnt sponge, and other 

 "peculiar" remedies of sectarian medicine were also 

 described in ancient and medieval books. 



Verily, "there is nothing new under the sun." 

 The medieval medical writings in Europe were 

 numerous; but, again, it was a woman, Hildegarde 

 (born 1108), of Bingen on the Rhine, who developed 

 the botanic materia medica of her region and wrote 

 a notable book. 3 Other women, somewhat later, 

 whose names figure in botanic materia medica, were 

 Mme. Mouffler, the Countess of Chinchon, and Mme. 

 Chapelle. In medieval and pre-modern times, the 

 men were so busy developing the dogmas of the- 

 ology and medicine that they considered herbalism 

 as beneath their notice; and the women, who con- 

 ducted the hospitals of those days and did most of 

 the obstetrical work, developed the useful details, 

 leaving the profound theories for the men to fight 

 over. Nevertheless, some masculine names were 

 associated with materia medica from the chemical 

 side, which does not involve this present study. 

 Then, too, other men, in their writings, included 

 botanic materia medica in the form of compilation 

 from previous literature. 



An examination of "The Pharmacopoeia Lon- 

 dinensis, A. D. 1682," revealed a content surpris- 

 ingly botanical. The celebrated Dr. Thomas Syden- 

 ham gave much credit to botanic remedies, and 

 his influence doubtless promoted their use. Writ- 

 ings in that day showed considerable use of in- 

 digenous plants, but comparatively little of value 

 was written. Later writers of note in England, 



3 "Liber Compositae Medicinae" and a later work of nine volumes. 



