Deprived of paradise, men finds the purest of his pleasures and the greatest source of his wisdom in the garden, the first creation Of God. It was the belief of the Herbalists that everything in the universe has a purpose, that each plant was created specifically to cure certain illnesses, and that wisdom is the ability to recognize the purpose for which things are intended. In this delightful and unique book, Joseph Wood Krutch, one of America’s best loved and most distinguished naturalists and scholars, examines the theories and discoveries of herbalists from ancient times to the present day. Poetry, science, philosophy and humour can be found in the descriptions of one hundred plants and six creatures, each accompanied by a full-page reproduction of a magnificent sixteenth-century woodcut. Among the curious beliefs of medieval herbalists was the notion that daffodils have the power to exterminate rats, protect against evil spirits and provoke urination. If reduced to ashes and poured into the left ear they are able to ease pain in a tooth on the right side of the mouth. Lettuce was used to cure Emperor Augustus of a fatal illness and as a remedy for insomnia. Smelling basil can cause a scorpion in the brain. Blinded by superstition and erring in many beliefs, the herbalists were, nevertheless, the fathers of medicine, pharmacology, horticulture and scientific botany. They used a considerable number of plants whose physiological effects were genuine, are still recognized, and in some cases, still commonly prescribed. Indeed, some of our most dramatic modem drugs—tranquillizers, digitalis, LSD, antibiotics, to name a few-—are derived from plants they used. This charming HERBAL, with its skilful blend of scholarship, grace and wit, Will fascinate and entertain a wide variety of readers, whether their interest is in medicine, botany, gardening or cookery.

The cover may not look so inviting but inside this book are lovely woodcut reproductions from the 16th century. I found this book in the Science stacks while examining some reference books for display. This book, by naturalist Joesph Wood Krutch looks at theories and discoveries of Herbalists from ancient times to present day. 100 plants and 6 creatures are detailed within.
Herbalists were the fathers of medicine, pharmacology and horticulture and herein lies their many beliefs in text and illustration. Beautifully detailed are lettuce, mistletoe, juniper, nasturtiums, oats, and nutmeg along with many other plants. Included are illustrations of animals these herbalists felt could be used in treatment of disease. Herein lies a beautiful book.
“The illustrations in this book are taken from the woodcuts in Pierandrea Mattioli’s huge folio volume, Commentaries on the Six Books of Dioscorides, issued in Prague in 1563 and Venice in 1565. The work was first published in 1544 and appeared in some fifty editions in several languages, but all of those prior to 1563 had very much smaller plates.

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