Volume 1

The farrier's dispensatory. In three parts. Containing first, a description of the medicinal simples commonly made use of in the diseases of horses ... Secondly, the preparations of simples, vegetable, animal, and mineral ... Thirdly, a number of useful compositions and receipts suited to the cure of all diseases. To which is also added, a compleat index of all the medicines contained in the book ... with a table of diseases pointing to the remedies proper in each malady / [W. Gibson].

  • Gibson, W. (William), 1680?-1750.
Date:
M.DCC.XXXIV
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The farrier's dispensatory. In three parts. Containing first, a description of the medicinal simples commonly made use of in the diseases of horses ... Secondly, the preparations of simples, vegetable, animal, and mineral ... Thirdly, a number of useful compositions and receipts suited to the cure of all diseases. To which is also added, a compleat index of all the medicines contained in the book ... with a table of diseases pointing to the remedies proper in each malady / [W. Gibson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the Dofes all have greatly erred; and for Want of a true Knowledge of the Things they adminifter, the Dofes of fome are infinitely finally where the Ingredients confift of Herbs % and other Vegetables that differ but little from their com• mon Foody and may therefore be given at Difcretion ; where- as, on the other Handy the moft ■powerful Alteratives are fometimes prescribed in over great Quantities, tho9 the Acci¬ dents arifing from thence are generally attributed to fome other Caufe *, and thefe Miftakes have run thro’ all their Pow¬ ders, Ballsy and Drenches, excepting thofe that are purga¬ tive, and work by a fenfible Operation, where in the main they can hardly err, after the Experience of fo many Ages, unlefs it be through their own Rajhnefs and Folly. But nothing is more ufual, both in the Books and Prac~ tife of Farriers, than the mixing Drugs of different and oppofite Qualities in Compofitions, that are only defigned to anfwer in fome fingle Intention ; and many are fo inju- dicioufly put together, that the one cannot fail of dejlroy- ing the Efficacy of the other *, and fome are fo ftrangely contrived, that it is impoffible to unite them into any Form, which is not only troublefome to the Maker, but in many Cafes deprives them of that Efficacy, which other- wife they might have, if they were compounded according to Art. To thefe might be added divers other Circumjlances, wherein the Farriers Prallice is defective in what relates to Medicines, from which it would alfo appear, that none of the Methods hitherto taken, have been fufficient to put it upon a better Footing , and this is not 7ny bare Opinion only, but of feveral others, particularly Blundevill, whofe Judgment was, that the Medicines ought to be confidered apart, and fays, they would employ a no fmall Volume to be undertaken by fome other Hand, if not by himfelf: And it is indeed foinewhat odd, that among all the Books that have been compiled for the Infraction of Farriers, no one has been hitherto thought of, to render that Branch of their Profeffion more eafy and ufeful ; but ?nofi of their Writers have aimed at complete Syftems, or etfe have been