Book Review-The Book of Simple Medicines
It isn't every day that I find a book that is good enough to deserve its own special book review. But then, "The Book of Simple Medicines" by Matthaeus Platearius, published by Moleiro Editor, S.A., is no ordinary title. In terms of quality, illustrations, and content, no other herbal comes close.
Whether you consider buying it as a very special gift for someone, or get one for yourself, this exceptional volume is worth every cent. For herb lovers, this would be a book they would treasure their entire lives.
This bilingual title is in Spanish and English. It is an exact facsimile of the original codex, which was created in the 15th century.
Leading scholars had access to the original codex, owned by the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. This original bears the signature of Emperor Charles V.
As it does with all of its groundbreaking volumes, Moleiro seeks out historians and art experts to provide commentary and annotated notes to the original manuscripts.
Jose Maria Lopez Pinero, emeritus professor of the history of medicine at the University of Valencia, provides an engrossing history of the codex, its creator, and its origins as well as a complete history of medicine from classical antiquity to the early Renaissance. The original manuscript by Platearius was the most widely used source of information on simple medicines during the Middle Ages.
This was very popular during the 12th century. The codex was a culmination of medical knowledge from the ancient Greeks to that of medieval Islam.
Natacha Elaguina, head curator of the western manuscripts of the National Library of Russia at St. Petersburg, contributed a section on the collection of French manuscripts in the library's collections. She gives an enlightening account of their content, background, and their illustrations with a complete history of each and what they reveal about the medieval life. This section even features a letter from Emperor Charles V.
Carlos Miranda Garcia, who received a PhD in history and geography from Complutense University in Madrid, studied the illustrations of the codex in Russia. He places the manuscript and other herbals of the time within their historical context, and explains the educational and cultural roles they played in the lives of people during the Middle Ages. He analyzes the individual works of the different botanical artists and painters with a complete history of their lives and paintings.
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