My original intention when I began to collect the materials for this book was simply to trace back to their authors the formulas of the most popular of our medicines, and to recall those which have lost their reputation. I thought, and still think, that an explanation of the modification of processes and of the variation of the ingredients of compounds would be useful, but I have not accomplished this design. I have been tempted from it into various by-paths, and probably in them have often erred, and certainly have missed many objects of interest. I shall be grateful to any critic, better informed than myself, who will correct me where I have gone astray, or refer me to information which I ought to have given. I may not have the opportunity of utilising suggestions myself; but all that I receive will be carefully collated, and may assist some future writer. A. C. WOOTTON. 4, SEYMOUR ROAD, FINCHLEY, LONDON, N. PUBLISHERS’ NOTE As the author unhappily died while his book was still in the printer’s hands, his friend, Mr. Peter MacEwan, editor of _The Chemist and Druggist_, has been good enough to revise the proofs for press. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. MYTHS OF PHARMACY 1 II. PHARMACY IN THE TIME OF THE PHARAOHS 34 III. PHARMACY IN THE BIBLE 46 IV. THE PHARMACY OF HIPPOCRATES 77 V. FROM HIPPOCRATES TO GALEN 88 VI. ARAB PHARMACY 97 VII. FROM THE ARABS TO THE EUROPEANS 113 VIII. PHARMACY IN GREAT BRITAIN 124 IX. MAGIC AND MEDICINE 157 X. DOGMAS AND DELUSIONS 174 XI. MASTERS IN PHARMACY 206 XII. ROYAL AND NOBLE PHARMACISTS 287 XIII. CHEMICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO PHARMACY 323 XIV. MEDICINES FROM THE METALS 376 ILLUSTRATIONS VOL. I PAGE Isis 3 Osiris 3 Apollo 7 Æsculapius 8 Arms of the Society of Apothecaries 10 Chiron the Centaur 15 Achillea Milfoil 16 Centaury 25