Some notes on an early nineteenth century manuscript medical receipt book.
There are 97 remedies listed, including 11 veterinary ones. These numbers include several that are duplicates. The commonest types of medicament are salves or ointments, of which there are ten, but these ten do not include ointments for specific complaints such as haemorrhoids or scurvy. The most frequently found cures are for the itch (10), rheumatism (5), gravel (4), pain (4), and piles (3), all the others having only one or two entries. They were intended to treat 39 human complaints and 9 animal ones. In addition there were formulae for killing lice, making rat poison, and preparing damson wine! The number of different medicaments that were used in the recipes was relatively small, but more than were to be found in the smaller sizes of domestic medicine cabinet. In 1820 Reece's Traveller's Dispensary that was flat and would fit in the pocket of a carriage, only contained ten drugs plus court plaster, lint, scales and weights with a book of directions and cost L3.10s.0d. (L3.50). The Lady's Dispensary which contained twenty medicines, including two pills, with some dispensing equipment and a book of directions cost L5.10s.0d. (L5.50). In all, he listed twenty different cabinets and a sea medicine chest ranging in price from L3.10s.0d. to L32.10s.0d. They included ones suitable for the family, country clergymen, and travellers on the continent and in the tropics. In 1862 Savory and Moore stocked a range of sixty-seven different medicine chests and cases in rosewood, mahogany, walnut, boxwood and leather that were fitted with 'modern appliances and conveniences adapted for the requirements of families, clergymen, officers, owners of yachts, and travellers.' Unfortunately no prices are quoted. I think that we can safely assume that the treatment received at the hands of Evan Jones was likely to be rather rough and ready when compared to the ministrations of a physician, surgeon, clergyman or local 'Lady Bountiful', but, nevertheless, must have been of great value to those who could not afford professional treatment.
Jackson
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WA
D004207:Dispensatories as Topic / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D049672:History, 19th Century; D008374:Manuscripts, Medical as Topic / Q000266:history*; D010602:Pharmacopoeias as Topic / Q000266:history*