[Enchiridion medicinae (1573)-a short pharmaceutical manual compiled by Georg Henisch].

Abstract

In 1573, Georg Henisch published a short pharmaceutical handbook, Enchiridion medicinae, which contains remedies for individual health problems, without making any further comments on the effects and method of use. However, this manual had a predecessor which was published in Paris in 1571 without mentioning the author. The text of both editions is practically identical, there are only minimal differences, but the second edition has been expanded to a foreword and final sections with some recipes. A comparison of the work with contemporary medical literature revealed that Enchiridion medicinae is a compilation of three works by other authors, De materia medicinali et compositione medicamentorum by G. Rondelet from 1556, a commentary by the French author Sebastien Coquillat Scipio on Galen's work Quos, quibus, quando purgare oporteat from 1553 and the book Lilium medicinae by Bernard de Gordon from 1550. Henisch probably acquired this compilation from 1571 as a young student in France, added some passages by Rendelet and passages from two others books, wrote a foreword which he signed with his name and published in Basel in 1573.