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banquet poem by Howell
Apr 12 2021

Herbal, Poetry, Recipes from 1652 | Week 2 of National Poetry Month | John Martin Rare Book Room @Hardin Library

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Celebrate National Poetry Month by viewing this work  perhaps written by James Howell.  

Make an appointment to view in person with curator damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or by calling 319-335-9154.

banquet poem by Howell

[JAMES HOWELL] (1594?-1666)] A hermeticall banquet, drest by a spagiricall cook : for the better preservation of the microcosme. Printed for Andrew Crooke, and are to be sold at the Green Dragon in S. Pauls Church-yard 1652 1st edition. [35], 161 p. 14 cm.

Cover to Howell book

This work is of unknown authorship but has been attributed variously to James Howell, Thomas Vaughan, and Sir Thomas Cademan. Denham, in the ‘Wellcome Library’ argues that the first two attributions are impossible since the author’s dedicatory epistle – addressed to Sir Isaac Wake, one of his patients and ambassador to France – necessitates a date of 1631 or earlier, impossible for Vaughan and a bit early for Howell.

Denham suggests Cademan (d.1651), who received a degree from the famous medical university at Padua, and was physician to Queen Henrietta Maria and the Earl of Bedford. Denham’s attribution is suggested by the author’s curious reference to himself as a vegetable reborn, something that suggests for Denham a word play linking the author’s name with the caddis fly. And our author refers in this text to his time as a student in Padua, describing his walks through the botanical garden.

Whoever the author be, he is contemptuous of other medicos, and gives us his own recipe for healthy living, liberally flavored with humor and fantasy. He begins by comparing man the microcosm, to the universe, or macrocosm.

Health will be produced if we mirror in our regimen the balance of the components of the universe. He then treats the stomach, beginning with advice to avoid overeating, and (in case the advice is unheeded) following up with a number of compound herbal recipes for indigestion.

Next he discourses upon the brain, which he allegorizes as the king of our microcosm, served by entertaining such nourishing courtiers as Ovid and Ben Jonson. In this section, recipes – some with more than twenty ingredients – are given not only to sharpen the brain, but also for healthy vision and hearing.

Next comes his treatment of the liver, a particularly zany chapter in the course of which our author breaks into poetry, telling of his courtship of Lady Health and the banquets they shared together, in which the author had difficulty containing his desires for ‘pyes,’ ‘maqeroni,’ and marzipan.

In the final chapter, allegory carries him almost totally away, as he sets sail to the “Cardiacall Territoryes,” where he encounters such characters as Don Ambitio and Signora Impudentia. He seems to have left Health completely behind, until at the end he offers heart-cooling recipes for the young and heart-warming prescriptions for the elderly. This book is very rare.

Cited references Wellcome III p.253 (Hermeticall); NLM 17th c. #5531 (Hermeticall)

 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Damien Ihrig at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.

Posted in History of Medicine, John Martin Rare Book Room, Library ResourceTagged A hermeticall banquet, drest by a spagiricall cook : for the better preservation of the microcosme, rare medical bookLeave a comment
Apr 05 2021

National Poetry Month @John Martin Rare Book Room | Week 1 | The Botanic Garden by Erasmum

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Celebrate National Poetry Month by viewing this work of 2400 rhyming couplets by Erasmus.

Make an appointment to view in person with curator damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or by calling 319-335-9154.

ERASMUS DARWIN (1731-1802) The botanic garden; A poem, in two parts. Part I. Containing The economy of vegetation. Part II. The loves of the plants.  Printed for J. Johnson 1791 Part I, [2nd ed.]; Part II, 3rd ed. Pt. I: xii, 214, 126 [2] pp., 10 plates (1 fold. (front.)); Pt. II: [4] ix, 197 pp., 10 plates (front.). 27.3 cm.

 

One of Darwin’s many interests was botany and he established a small botanic garden at his residence in Lichfield both for the study of plants and to grow his own medicinal herbs. The present poetic work resulted from this interest and brought him immediate fame as a poet. The economy of vegetation first appeared in 1791 and was in reality an introduction to and course of instruction in a broad range of scientific and technological subjects. Its 2400 lines of rhyming couplets are explained in a lengthy series of explanatory footnotes. The loves of the plants was published first in 1789, and presented an allegorical account of the Linnean system of plant classification and explained in verse how the various classes of plants are fertilized.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Damien Ihrig at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.

Posted in John Martin Rare Book RoomTagged National Poetry Month 2021Leave a comment
says Hardin Hours Change
Apr 01 2021

Longer Hours, Weekend Hours @Hardin Library | Starts April 18

Posted on April 1, 2021April 1, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Hardin Library will be open longer hour and open on weekends beginning April 18, 2021.

Monday-Thursday 7:30am-9:00pm
Friday 7:30am-6:00pm
Saturday-Sunday Noon-5:00pm

The Hardin Library reference desk is staffed whenever the library is open.  We welcome any questions!  

The 24-hour study will remain open when the library is closed.  The 24-hour study contains a few Windows computers as well as a printer.  Use your Iowa One Card or UIHC Badge to unlock the study when the library is closed.

Complete hours for Hardin Library: https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/contact/

Coming for the first time?

  • Walk: 1.2 miles from Old Capital downtown
  • Bike: bicycle parking by each entrance
  • Moped/Motorcycle: park at Newton Road Ramp/permit only
  • Drive: park at meters behind library OR Newton Road Ramp/$1.20 per hour
  • Cambus: Finkbine-Pentacrest or Hawkeye-Pentacrest Routes and Schedules
Posted in ServicesTagged expanded hours, hours, weekend hoursLeave a comment
image of book bound in vellum and page with phoenix plant, man eating it and vomiting
Mar 16 2021

Loncier, Kreuterbuch… | 1587 German Herbal | March 2021 Book of the Month from the John Martin Rare Book Room @Hardin Library

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

ADAM LONICER (1528-1586) Kreuterbuch, kunstliche Conterfeytunge der Bäume, Stauden, Hecken, Kreuter, Getreyde, Gewürtze. Printed in Frankfort by Christian Egenolph, 1587. 382 numbered leaves (764 pages) with color illustrations. 31 cm tall.

image of book bound in vellum and page with phoenix plant, man eating it and vomiting

 
We know from other sources that Lonicer (also referenced as Lonitzer, Lonicerum, Lonicerus, or Loniceri) worked as a proofreader for his father-in-law, a German printer who specialized in producing herbals. He eventually went on to write his own works covering mathematics, medicine, and botany. Kreuterbuch… (originally titled in Latin, Naturalis historiae opus novum) was published in 1546 and, although much of it was not original to Lonicer, became a hit. The book saw several editions, including the 1587 edition described here. The last edition was printed in 1783.

The text covers much of the known natural world at the time and had a wide audience that included physicians, apothecaries, and both rural and urban householders. The emphasis is on how one uses animal, vegetable, and mineral substances in the production of medicinal, gastronomical, and household preparations. Lonicer provides us with one of the early descriptions of local flora, and, among his other accomplishments, he is one of the first to distinguish deciduous trees from conifers.

The most striking features of this book are its hundreds of hand-colored woodcuts. As one can imagine, coloring in each image is an intensive task and would have greatly increased the cost of the book. Because of this, many existing early printed herbals are found unpainted. The book was rebound at an unknown point in the 20th century with a soft, milky vellum (calfskin parchment) over pasteboard (sheets of paper pasted together to create a stiff board). The spine titling consists of black and red leather labels with gold tooling. These contrast nicely with the lighter cover.

The book also has excellent examples of conservation work, including the application of a thin, strong Japanese paper on the outer margin of the first leaf. This part of the leaf has been heavily used and is now damaged and brittle. The application of the paper support strengthens the edge and lessens the chance of further damage. This same paper was also to repair the inner margin between a few other leaves. The text block shows the staining, wear, and foxing (oxidation of iron particles in the paper) one would expect from a book of this age but is still in great condition. With proper care, it will have a happy, long life here at the John Martin Rare Book Room!

For more on Lonicer and other Herbals, check out the U. S. National Library of Medicine and the Edward Worth Library in Dublin.

If you or your group are interested in seeing this or other items mentioned in our newsletters, please contact Damien Ihrig at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu to arrange a visit in person (one person) or over Zoom (one or more people).

 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact our office in advance at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.

Posted in History of Medicine, John Martin Rare Book RoomTagged Adam Lonicer, book conservation, German herbal, Kreuterbuch, rare medical bookLeave a comment
image of Duncan Stewart, white man, posing with rare book outside
Mar 16 2021

You cannot judge a book by its cover. The title page is another story.

Posted on March 16, 2021March 23, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

by Duncan Stewart, MA, MLIS, Rare Materials Cataloger, University of Iowa Libraries,
Adjunct Faculty, School of Library and Information Sciences, University of Iowa

image of Duncan Stewart, white man, posing with rare book outside
Duncan Stewart, MA, MLIS

The John Martin Rare Book Room (JMRBR) is filled with books of great medical historical value. But do you know how all those books get into the JMRBR? A book’s journey to the Rare Book Room may start as a donation or as a purchase from a rare book dealer. After being physically recorded as a new part of the collection, all books travel next to one of the University of Iowa Libraries’ rare book catalogers.

Catalogers ply their trade buried within library technical services departments. There they pore over uncatalogued books, comparing the book in hand to its donor or vendor descriptions, taking note of authors, how the leaves of paper were printed and bound, recording how many pages and illustrations there are, and spotting errors that make that book unique. Then catalog librarians weave these disparate threads of information into a single tapestry in the online catalog enabling scholars and other library patrons to discover a new and unique addition to the collection. A full essay on all aspects of cataloging rare books would be long and probably stupefying. However, this title page from a 16th-century herbal work on medicinal plants illustrates one step of rare book classification.

The full title is:
Kreuterbuch, kunstliche Conterfeytunge der Bäume, Stauden, Hecken, Kreuter, Getreyde, Gewürtze : mit eygentlicher Beschreibung derselben Namen, in sechserley Spraachen, nemlich Griechisch, Latinisch, Italianisch, Frantzösisch, Teutsch und Hispanisch und derselben Gestalt, natürlicher Krafft und Wirkung. Sampt künstlichem und artlichem Bericht des Distillierens. Item von fürnembsten Gethieren der Erden, Vögeln, und Fischen, dessgleichen von Metallen, Ertze, Edelgesteinen, Gummi, und gestandenen Säfften. Jetzo auffs fleissigst zum Letzten mal von neuwem ersehen, und durchauss an vielen Orten gebessert, auch weit über vorige Edition gemehret, mit vollkommenen nützlichert Registeren alles Innhalts / durch Adamum Lonicerum

Or loosely translated into English from 16th-century German:
Herbal book, an artful representation of trees, shrubs, hedges, herbs, grains, and spices. With detailed description and their names in six different languages, Greek, Latin, Italian, French, German, and Spanish, and with descriptions of their physical appearance, natural strength, and effects. Artfully collected into a report on distilling. As well as information about the most important animals of the earth, birds, fish, metals, ores, precious stones, saps, and juices. Now seen in greater detail than the previous edition, greatly improved, with useful tables of contents / by Adam Lonitzer.

The title page does not provide all the information needed, such as the number of pages, printing technique, or binding method, But the lengthy title conveys what the book is about, as well as where, when, and who created it. It also contains a wealth of information to begin an online catalog record. Details like the author’s name, which will be one way to find this book in the catalog. The details in the title help the cataloger determine subject headings to describe the book’s contents. And create a call number. The place, printer, and date at the foot of the title page offer details of book production in the western part of Germany in the late 16th century. The woodcut print demonstrates the intricate carving and laborious hand coloring lavished on illustrations in this text.

title page from herbal, gothic script, woodcut  The title page printed in red and black, the luxurious decoration, and the Gothic script all serve notice that this book is one of some importance. Also, the woodcut illustration depicts an image of men at work, especially in the important economic activity of distilling in Frankfurt am Main, which continues to this day. Thus, the title page is the foundation for the catalog record below.

Title Kreuterbuch,…
Author Lonicer, Adam 1528-1586
Subjects Botany — Pre-Linnean works
  Natural history Botany, Medical — Early works to 1800
  Medicinal plants
  Herbals
  Herbs
  Distillation
  Materia medica
  Vellum bindings (Binding)
  Encyclopedias — Germany — 1587
Description Binding: Modern vellum over pasteboard, raised bands, black and red morocco labels
  First published in Latin under title: Naturalis historiae opus novum.
  Foliated with pages numbered on recto
  Signatures: )(⁶ 3*⁴ 2*⁴ A-O⁶ P⁴ Q-Z⁶ a-z⁶ 2A-2E⁶ 2F⁴ 2A-2M⁶ 2N⁵
  “Five large and 13 small woodcut vignettes, and hundreds of woodcuts of plants, flowers, fruits, animals, minerals and gems, all with contemporary hand coloring.”–Vender catalog
  Title printed in red, guide words throughout
  Includes indexes
  References: Pritzel (2nd) 5599
Publisher Zu Franckfort : Bey Christian Egenolffs seligen Erben
Creation Date 1587
Format 14 unnumbered pages, CCCLXXXII, 3 unnumbered leaves : color illustrations ; 31 cm
Language German
Additional title Naturalis historiae opus novum

 

Posted in History of Medicine, John Martin Rare Book RoomTagged Adam Lonicer, cataloging, herbal book, Kreuterbuch, rare booksLeave a comment
black and white clock that says 24
Mar 11 2021

Hardin Library 24-Hour Study

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Hardin Library has a 24-hour study that is available when the library is closed. 
The study is available to all University of Iowa affiliated:

  • students in any major
  • residents
  • staff
  • faculty
  • fellows

Access the 24-hour study with your Iowa One-Card or UIHC Badge when the library is closed.  If you are at the library near closing time, you may remain in the 24-hour study.

 

Posted in ServicesTagged 24 hour study
says Hardin Hours Change
Feb 04 2021

Spring Semester Hours

Posted on February 4, 2021March 16, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Hardin Library Spring Semester hours

 

Monday-Thursday Library open 7:30am-6pm
Virtual help available 7:30am-9pm
Friday Library open
Virtual help available 7:30am-6pm
Saturday Virtual help 1-5pm
Sunday Virtual help 1-9pm

24-hour study is available when the library is closed.

Posted in Services
Jan 26 2021

January 2021 Book of the Month | John Martin Rare Book Room | Eye Diseases by Demours 1818

Posted on January 26, 2021March 5, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

DEMOURS, ANTOINE PIERRE (1762-1836) Traité des maladies des yeux : avec des planches coloriées représentant ces maladies d’après nature, suivi de la description de l’œil humain / traduite du latin de S.T. Soemmerring [Treatise on eye diseases: with colored plates representing these diseases from nature, followed by the description of the human eye] Printed by Crochard in 1818. First edition. 4 volumes. 21 cm tall (Volume 4 is 27 cm).

This four-volume work, one of the most important and elaborate books on the diseases of the eye published to that time, includes the first full description of glaucoma in which heightened intraocular pressure is recognized. The work is a compilation of hundreds of carefully annotated case histories obtained in the course of the author’s 20 years of experience and from his father’s nearly 50 years of practice. Credit for the observations on glaucoma belongs principally to the father, Pierre Demours, who was the superior clinical investigator, though it is quite properly shared with the son who excelled as a surgeon.

images of tools and eye diseaseThe final volume contains a French translation of the Latin edition of S.T. Soemmerring’s Abbildungen des menschlichen Auges [Illustrations of the Human Eye]. The 65 plates include remarkable specimens of early printed color illustrations.

Demours obtained a reputation more for his bold and skillful operations than for his scientific contributions. He became oculist to the Kings Louis XVIII and Charles X of France. Demours’ operation to transplant an artificial pupil created a great sensation, not only in France but all over Europe.

The four volumes are modestly bound, with a dark blue paper pasted over paper boards. The first three volumes contain only text, and all the books show minor foxing (reddish-brown staining due to chemicals inherent to the paper and their interaction with the environment) throughout. Even with a simple binding, given its size and vibrant illustrations, the fourth volume definitely stands out from the others!photo of 4 books

If you are interested in seeing this , please contact Curator Damien Ihrig at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu to arrange a visit in person or over Zoom.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or call 319-335-9154.

Posted in History of Medicine, John Martin Rare Book RoomTagged Antoine Peter Demours
image of MLK in crowd with text We will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends
Jan 13 2021

Hardin Library Closed Monday, January 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Posted on January 13, 2021January 25, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

The Hardin Library will be closed on Monday, January 18 for the martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.  The library will reopen on Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30am.

The 24-hour study will be available when the library is closed.

University of Iowa Martin Luther King Day events

image of MLK in crowd with text We will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends

Posted in ServicesTagged MLK day
image of plant and information from blog post
Jan 06 2021

John Martin Rare Book Room @Hardin Library Open By Appointment During Winter Break | Zoom or In-Person

Posted on January 6, 2021March 16, 2021 by Sarah Andrews

Anyone may make an appointment to use the John Martin Rare Book Room from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.  You may make an in-person appointment or our curator can meet your via Zoom and show you materials online.

To make an appointment:

  • email curator damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu OR
  • call 319-335-9154

The John Martin Rare Book Room will be open during Winter Break except on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  Access to the John Martin Rare Book Room is available to the public as well as University of Iowa affiliates.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact curator Damien Ihrig in advance.

image of plant and information from blog post

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in History of Medicine, John Martin Rare Book Room, ServicesTagged John Martin Rare Book Room, special collections

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