T. A. (& others)

Collection of extracts from 'A rich storehouse or treasurie for the diseased: wherein are many approved medicines for divers and sundry diseases [etc.]': with other medical receipts by earlier hands. On the verso of P. 2 (at the beginning) are two small pen-drawings of 'the yron vessel' for making the 'Lapis' (a kind of powder of universal efficacy): and on l. 1 of the next section is a full page pen-drawing of the same dated 1639. Contents: Pp. 1-8 Medical receipts by the 1710 hand: some of these are copies of the receipts of the next section-but in English. Ll. 1-12 Medical receipts in Scots. Holograph of William Mackene, dated and signed by him on l.12, 'Dantsick 1639'. 13, 14 Receipts signed 'Henry Gray': in Scots, by a somewhat later hand. Pp. 1-29 Receipts in English by the 1710 hand: dated on p. 29 'Undecimo novembris die hic liber finitus fuit 1709'. Ll. 1-52 Extracts from 'A rich storehouse' mainly by the 1710 hand, but with some entries by other hands. It contains the introductory matter on 'Purgation' and blood-letting (ll. 1-14): and is followed by selections from the numbered receipts of the printed original, ending with No. 785 'A good medecine to kill all manner of wormes in mans body'. 52v-55 Receipts against Rickets. 55-81 Miscellaneous receipts by several of the later hands. On l. 80 'Apud Tolquhon vigesimo secundo Aprilis die Anno Millesimo Septingentesimo et decimo. Hic liber finitus fuit'. 82-88 Blank. L. 88v Medical definitions, and signature of Henry Gray. Ll. 65r, 66r, 67r, 68r, 69r contain a section headed 'Anno 1640 January 16. Henry Gray begineth this Roulles of Artmetick [sic]', in youthful script.

1639-1710

1 volume 1 l. + 8 pp. + 14 ll. + 29 pp. + 88 ll. obl. 4to. 15 x 191/2 cm. Original gilt-stamped calf binding. Some leaves have been torn out, and only a fragment remains of the third leaf from the end.

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Purchased 1933.

This note-book appears originally to have belonged to Thomas Forbes who has written 'Ex libris Thomae Forbesii' on the first leaf. He seems to have been a student of Law. There is an inscription probably by him on L.14v of the second section of the book, and there are some legal notes on the recto of the following leaf, and it is clear that some leaves have been torn out at this point. In other parts of the volume there are traces of legal notes in an earlier hand. It is possible that this Thomas Forbes may be the person entered on p. 87 of Innes Smith's 'English-speaking students of Medicine at the University of Leyden'. 1932. Here he is described as 'Schotus July 17, 1649, aet 20 Juris'. He was appointed Professor of Philosophy at Pisa in 1658, and Professor of Medicine in 1659. He resigned in 1662, returned to Scotland, and died at St Andrews 1688.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

The work is here entered under 'T (A.)', but a certain 'G.W.' seems to have been a later editor, and the book is found under 'W. (G.)' in some bibliographies.