The ladies dispensatory
By: [Leonard Sowerby] ; edited by Carey Balaban, Jonathan Erlen and Richard Siderits.
Contributors: Balaban, Carey David, 1954-; Erlen, Jonathon, 1946-; Siderits, Richard,
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2002
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 332
Subjects: Therapeutics -- Early works to 1800.; Materia medica -- Therapeutic use -- Early works to 1800.; Herbs -- Therapeutic use -- Early works to 1800.; Medicine, Popular -- Early works to 1800.; Women -- Health and hygiene -- Early works to 1800.
Genres: Early works to 1800.
Description: Leonard Sowerby's self-healing manual for women, "The Ladies' Dispensatory", emerged in England in 1652 amidst an abundance of medical self-help books for the lay citizen. Written for both the common patient and the amateur health provider, these manuals of home remedies provided their readers with a variety of potential solutions to common ailments or disease. The editors have here resurrected Sowerby's original manuscript and have provided both historical and medical explanations of its uses and usefulness. From a common garlic remedy to "fortify the brain" to "a hog's heel, burned to powder" for easing colic, "The Ladies' Dispensatory" is a look at health and hygiene in the 17th century.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.