G 414

Medical

16th cent. Paper. 14 × 9 cms. 346 pp. with scribal pagination 181-212, 217- 224, 229-242, [skipped 243-4], 245-343, 334 [recte 344]-492 [recte 502], continued in modern pencil to end (526). Scribe: Eoghan Ua Beitheachain, `Baile hI Dhiomasaigh .i. Baile Briotáis' [Co. Laois], 1594 (p. 473; date p. 461, signature p. 493), wrote from exemplar owned by Risdeard mac Muircheartaigh (p. 473).

The following entry of (?) one-time owner: `James O Sheile maryed to Elisabath Cronin on ye 12th of March in ye yeare 1673', p. 517. Entries of other previous owners: `Silvester O Halloran Surgeon MD, F.R.S., MRIA & Accouchier', p. 524 (inverted), `Séamus Ó Casaide, Baile Átha Cliath, an chéad lá de'n mbl. 1909. [ceann de leabhraibh an Ridire Séamus Mac Coitir]', p. 523. Letter, loosely inserted in manuscript, from Walter J. Purton concerning handwriting in present manuscript and in RIA 23 N 16; another sheet loosely inserted containing names of four owners in the hand of Ó Casaide.

Bound in full leather; cropping of margins has caused loss of text in several places; initials of chapters rubricated. Ó Casaide ms 81.

Page

181 Materia Medica: a pharmacopoeia. Acephalous. Beg. here opium castoreum polium costus each followed by a series of measures. Running title `Confections opiate'. Next section beg. (p. 183) Aesdrae antidotus ex aetio. is amlaid do nitear e. Includes the following other chapters (with running titles): `Syrupi', pp. 199-413; `Conservae', pp. 413i-16; `Unguentae', pp. 416i-56; `Cerota', pp. 456i-58; `Emplastra', pp. 458i-73. Ends (p. 473) Sgaoilidh an ceirinsi in tinneas do nitear o gaothmhuireacht ... isin maclac no isna ballaibh eile. `Indiu isi anni Domini 1594 an seachtmadh la do mi Iúin a mBaile hI Dhiomusaigh .i. a mBaile Briotáis mo log sccribhinn ┐ ó Risdeard mac Muircheartaigh fuaras an leabhar as ar sgriobhas co ccuittighidh Dia lais e misi Eoghan Ua Beitheachain do sgrioph.' This is followed (pp. 474-92) by a further Materia Medica giving lists of herbs etc and their properties, beg. Maturativa sive supperativa .i. neithe do ní morgadh no aibiugadh and ending (p. 492) Quatuor persitantissimia contravenena teste ... a nadur na neimhe dfiadhnuise Mhardus. Followed (pp. 493-503) by a list of contents with page references headed `Tionnsgaintear clár Valerius Cordis anso a nainm Dhe nimhe ┐ talmhan o Eoghan O mBeitheachain'. Pp. 504-5 blank. Followed (pp. 506-8) by a further pharmacopoeia beg. (? acephalous) Ar ttus folmaightear in ball le mechacon and ending ┐ Arromaticum rosatum. Perhaps only a fragment. Pp. 509- 517 blank.

An Irish version of the Dispensatorium of Valerius Cordus (1515-44), first published in Nürnberg in 1535, the 1548 edition (Paris) entitled Pharmacorum conficiendorum ratio. Vulgo vocant Dispensatorium. Ex omni genere bonorum authorum, cum veterum tum recentium collectum, & scholiis utilissimis illustratum.

518 Medical definitions: (a) `Spes convalescentiae et quam habent aegri de medico fiduciam .... [b] Cordi non chartae tradas quae noveris arte .... [c] Deffnitio est oratio de monstrans .... [d] Descriptio est oratio que verborum ....'.

520-21 Curative properties of An ghné purgaidísi da ngoirtear untemonins no stibium no stimi goireadh Plinius platiophtalmou dhi ┐ Galen gynacium. Pp. 522-5 blank. P. 526, now a fragment, seems to have contained medical definitions (cancelled).