Pharmacopoeia Londinensis; or, the New London Dispensatory. 5th ed.

1696

Health Sciences Historical Collection QVC S172

London: Printed by J. Dawks

Although he styled himself ‘Professor of Physick’, William Salmon (1644-1713) had no known medical training, and probably learned his trade from a travelling charlatan. Apart from medicine, he was a prolific writer on a wide range of subjects, including botany, cooking, and art. This was because he compiled and plagiarised the work of others. Salmon emphasised practice over theory, and was a leading figure in the apothecaries’ push to break the College of Physicians’ monopoly of medical practice. As noted on the title-page, this book was intended ‘for the Publick Good’, and is an English translation of the College’s Latin Pharmacopoeia.