Wellcome uses cookies.

Read our policy
Wellcome Collection homepage
All
Stories
Images
Catalogue
Events
180 results
  • Certain necessary directions, as well for the cure of the plague, as for preventing the infection: with many easie medicines of small charge, very profitable to His Majesties subjects / Set down by the Colledge of Physicians.
  • Certain necessary directions, as well for the cure of the plague, as for preventing the infection: with many easie medicines of small charge, very profitable to His Majesties subjects / Set down by the Colledge of Physicians.
  • The month June and the sign of Cancer, represented by a large agricultural estate being profitably maintained and managed, and by Christ telling the parable of the Rich Fool. Engraving by A. Collaert after H. Bol, 1585.
  • Wholesome advice against the abuse of hot liquors, particularly of coffee, chocolate, tea, brandy, and strong-waters. With directions to know what constitutions they suit, and when the use of them may be profitable or hurtful / by Dr. Duncan ... ; Done out of French.
  • Batman uppon Bartholome, his booke, De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and ammended: with such additions as are requisite, unto every severall booke: taken foorth of the most approved authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie / [Bartholomaeus].
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • A profitable and necessarie booke of observations, for all those that are burned with the flame of gun-powder, etc. ... With an addition of most approved remedies ... Last of all is adjoyned a short treatise, for the cure of Lues venerea / ... heretofore by me collected: and now againe newly corrected and augmented in the yeare ... 1596.
  • Agrimonia eupatoria L. Agrimony, Eupatorium, Maudlein. Perennial herb. The species name comes from king Mithridates Eupator VI of Pontus (132-63 BC) who took regular doses of poison to develop an immunity to them. A 'Mithridate' was a medicine against poisons. Distribution: N. and S. Africa, N. Asia, Europe. '…provokes urine and the terms [periods], dries the brain, opens stoppings, helps the green sickness [iron deficiency anaemia], and profits such as have a cold weak liver outwardly applied it takes away the hardness of the matrix [=uterus] and fills hollow ulcers with flesh' (Culpeper, 1650). Dioscorides (Beck, 2005) recommends mashed leaves in hog's grease for healing scarring ulcers, and the seed in wine for dysentery and serpent bites. Goodyear's 1655 translation of Dioscorides (Gunther 2000) has this as cannabis, which Parkinson (1640) says is in error and summarises the manifold uses from classical authors, from removing splinters to stopping menorrhagia. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Epimedium pubescens Maxim. Berberidaceae. Horny (sic) Goat Weed. Distribution: China. Marketed as an aphrodisiac, with the ability to act like sildenafil and for osteoporosis. Side effects reported include dizziness, dry mouth, vomiting and cardiac irregularity. It is not listed in Wiart (2006) or Wichtl (1994). Its reputation began, apparently, when a Chinese farmer observed increased sexual activity in his goats after they had been eating Epimedium. Given the enormous profits made by medicines such as sildenafil, it is indicative of its therapeutic value that it has not been taken up by a pharmaceutical company. Poor absorption from the gut and lack of information on toxicity may be responsible. It is not licensed for sale in the UK as a Traditional Herbal Remedy (Traditional Herbal Medicines Registration, January 2013) and has not been assessed or approved by the European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A worthy treatise of the eyes; containing the knowledge and cure of one hundreth and thirtene diseases, incident unto them / first gathered & written in French ... and now translated into English, togeather with a profitable treatise of the scorbie [by J. Weyer]; & another of the cancer [by B. Textor] by A. H[unton]. Also ... a work touching the preservation of the sight, set forth by W. Bailey D. of Phisick.
  • A worthy treatise of the eyes; containing the knowledge and cure of one hundreth and thirtene diseases, incident unto them / first gathered & written in French ... and now translated into English, togeather with a profitable treatise of the scorbie [by J. Weyer]; & another of the cancer [by B. Textor] by A. H[unton]. Also ... a work touching the preservation of the sight, set forth by W. Bailey D. of Phisick.
  • A worthy treatise of the eyes; containing the knowledge and cure of one hundreth and thirtene diseases, incident unto them / first gathered & written in French ... and now translated into English, togeather with a profitable treatise of the scorbie [by J. Weyer]; & another of the cancer [by B. Textor] by A. H[unton]. Also ... a work touching the preservation of the sight, set forth by W. Bailey D. of Phisick.
  • The secretes of the reverend Maister Alexis of Piemont [pseud.? i. e. Girolamo Ruscelli?] Containing excellent remedies against divers diseases, woundes, and other accidentes, with the manner to make distillations, parfumes, confitures, dyinges, colours, fusions, and meltinges. A worke well approved, verye profitable and necessarie for everye man. Newely corrected and amended, and also somewhat enlarged in certaine places, whiche wanted in the fyrst edition / Translated oute of Frenche into Englyshe, by William Warde.
  • A worthy treatise of the eyes; containing the knowledge and cure of one hundreth and thirtene diseases, incident unto them / first gathered & written in French ... and now translated into English, togeather with a profitable treatise of the scorbie [by J. Weyer]; & another of the cancer [by B. Textor] by A. H[unton]. Also ... a work touching the preservation of the sight, set forth by W. Bailey D. of Phisick.
  • The accomplish'd female instructor: or, a very useful companion for ladies, gentlewomen, and others. In two parts. Part I. Treating of generous breeding and behaviour; choice of company, friendship; the art of speaking well [etc.] ... Part II. Treating of making curious confectionaries, or sweet-meats, jellies, syrups, cordial-waters ... to know good provisions, dye curious colours, whiten ivory ... physical and chyrurgical receipts ... and a great number of other useful and profitable things.
  • The accomplish'd female instructor: or, a very useful companion for ladies, gentlewomen, and others. In two parts. Part I. Treating of generous breeding and behaviour; choice of company, friendship; the art of speaking well [etc.] ... Part II. Treating of making curious confectionaries, or sweet-meats, jellies, syrups, cordial-waters ... to know good provisions, dye curious colours, whiten ivory ... physical and chyrurgical receipts ... and a great number of other useful and profitable things.
  • The accomplish'd female instructor: or, a very useful companion for ladies, gentlewomen, and others. In two parts. Part I. Treating of generous breeding and behaviour; choice of company, friendship; the art of speaking well [etc.] ... Part II. Treating of making curious confectionaries, or sweet-meats, jellies, syrups, cordial-waters ... to know good provisions, dye curious colours, whiten ivory ... physical and chyrurgical receipts ... and a great number of other useful and profitable things.
  • Certain necessary directions, as well for the cure of the plague, as for preventing the infection with many easie medicines of small charge, very profitable to His Majesties subjects / Set downe by the Colledge of Physicians by the Kings Majesties speciall command. With sundry orders thought meet by His Majestie, and his Privie Councell for prevention of the plague. Also certaine select statutes ... Together with His Majesties proclamation for further direction therein and a decree in Starre-Chamber. Concerning buildings and in-mates.
  • The English house-wife. Containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. As her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyls, banqueting stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preserving of all sort of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth and dying; the knowledge of dayries, office of malting; of oates, their excellent uses in families: of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to a household / A work generally approved, and now the fourth time much augmented. Purged, and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the general good of this kingdome. By G.M.
  • The English house-wife. Containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. As her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyls, banqueting stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preserving of all sort of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth and dying; the knowledge of dayries, office of malting; of oates, their excellent uses in families: of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to a household / A work generally approved, and now the fourth time much augmented. Purged, and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the general good of this kingdome. By G.M.
  • Prunella vulgaris L. Lamiaceae Self Heal, Carpenter’s Herb, Sicklewort, Consolida minor. Distribution: Europe. Culpeper (1650): ‘See Bugle. So shall I not need to write the same thing twice, the vertues being the same.’ Under Bugle he writes: ‘Bugula. Bugle or middle Comfrey ... excellent for falls or inward bruises, for it dissolves congealed blood, profitable for inward wounds, helps the rickets and other stoppings of the Liver, outwardly it is of wonderful force in curing wounds and ulcers, though festered, as also gangrenes and fistulas, it helps broken bones and dislocations. To conclude, let my countrymen esteem it as a Jewel...’ Bugle is Ajuga reptans which has the same creeping habit, but is in another genus. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. Asteraceae. English, Roman or garden chamomile Distribution: Europe, Mediterranean. Culpeper (1650): “... assuage swellings, inflammations of the bowels, dissolve wind, are profitable given in clysters or drink, to such as are troubled with colic or [renal] stone.” The leaves are pleasantly fragrant, hence its use as a lawn plant, but also in aromatherapy. A ‘tea’ made from the flowers is apparently used to lighten hair colour. Chamomile contains sesquiterpene lactones, and these are known to possess allergenic properties. Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in this and other members of the Compositae (Asteraceae) and cross sensitivity reactions may occur (Medicines Control Agency, 2002). Analgesic, and used for cramps and spasms (Quincy, 1718). Chamomile tea is used to help sleep, but may cause uterine contractions so avoid in pregnancy (US National Institutes of Health advice). Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Nostrums, the great advertisement song. 1881
  • A wealthy doctor counting money. Lithograph.
  • A physician examining the chest of a thin, perhaps tuberculous, boy, in the presence of the latter's mother. Lithograph by K. Kollwitz, 1920.