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The Family Herbal, or, An Account of All Those English Plants, Which are Remarkable for Their Virtues, and of the Drugs Which are Produced by Vegetables of Other Countries, With Their Descriptions and Their Uses, as Proved by Experience. . .
Also called: Account of all those English plants. . . Bungay: Printed and published by C. Brightly and T. Kinnersley, 1812. Sixth ed.--Cf. Johnston, S. H. Cleveland coll. 760. Earlier eds. published under title: The Useful Family Herbal. Hand-colored plates. References: Johnston, S. H. Cleveland coll. 760.
Hill has arranged his plants according to their English names, adding the Latin name as well. He gives a "general description of the plant, if it be a common one, in a line or two; that those who already know it, may turn at once to the uses; and for such as do not, a farther and more particular account is added. Last come the virtues, as they are confirmed by practice: and all this is delivered in such words as are common, and to be understood by all." Hill begins his work with an introduction detailing the purpose of the work, the methods of collecting and preserving plants, the techniques for preparing simples, information about distilled waters and other household preparations, and the best methods for putting medicines together. This introduction is then followed by the alphabetical listing of the plants, many of which are also shown on the hand-colored plates. The work includes with an appendix which discusses the virtues of plants which have not yet been tried. This is a later edition of PAT-54, and this edition has all the plates located at the end of the work, following the appendix. Some of the plates are inserted in reverse order, e.g. 32, 31, 34, 33, 36, 35, etc.
Subjects: Botany; Medicine.
PAT-55