Materia medica. Medical manuscript
Publisher Information: 1866.
Leake, Jonas Richard (1844-78). Materia medica. Autograph manuscript notebook, signed “Jonas Richard Leake” on front flyleaf. 290 numbered pages plus several blank leaves. Belgravia, July 1866. 183 x 115 mm. 19th century half calf, rubbed, upper spine chipped, a few scratches on front cover. Very good. From the library of Chauncey D. Leake (1896-1978), with his bookplate (loose) and pencil annotations in the back.
Leake, the son of an Irish physician, was born in Surrey, trained as a surgeon and obtained his license to practice in 1864. He subsequently joined the British Army’s 80th Regiment as an assistant surgeon. The present notebook was evidently prepared as part of Leake’s duties as an army surgeon, as it bears the inscription “80th Regiment” on the flyleaf beneath Leake’s signature.
Leake’s notebook is very clearly and legibly written, with only a few additions and corrections, and includes several diagrams and chemical formulae. It is divided into several sections: “Materia medica” (pp. 1-123); “Action of medicines” (pp. 126-129); “Chemistry (inorganic)” (pp. 131-176); “Chemical processes” (pp. 177-203); “Tests” (pp. 204-232); “Organic chemistry” (pp. 233-265); and “Treatise on botany” (pp. 267-295). Pages 238-239 contain directions for manufacturing sulfuric ether, ending with the note that “its vapour is a safe anaesthetic.” Pages 241-242 contain similar directions for chloroform. The notebook is from the library of pharmacologist and medical historian Chauncey D. Leake (no relation to Jonas), discoverer of the anesthetic properties of divinyl ether (see Garrison-Morton.com 5713).
Book Id: 43593Price: $3,750.00