Research Guides: Public Health Materials in Haverford Special Collections (HC): Remedies and Observations

Published Books

Advice to the people in general: with regard to their health.
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This publication offers early medical advice and was written by S.A.D. Tissot in 1765.
A brief collection of many rare secrets: many of which are approved and physical and the rest most pleasant and recreative...
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Written by Edward La Fountaine in 1650.
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Full title: A brief collection of many rare secrets: many of which are approved and physical and the rest most pleasant and recreative: very necessary for all sorts of people
Cautions against the use of violent medicines in fevers, and instances of the virtue of petasite root
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This book by John Hill is bound with a collection of rare and valuable pieces relating to the last plague in the year 1665.
The English physician: enlarged with three hundred and sixty-nine medicines, made of English herbs, that were not in any impression until this.
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This work by Nicholas Culpeper contains an index of various medicinal plants and outlines some therapeutic remedies utilized in the years before 1800.
Illness: its cause and cure: an appendix to Simple questions and sanitary facts
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This 1867 book on medical remedies was published by J. Burns and has a preface signed by "an Irishwoman."
Maladies, remedies and physicians of colonial days in Burlington County, and other kindred topics...
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This work was read before the Historical Society of Burlington County and contains references to several Quaker physicians.
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Full title: Maladies, remedies and physicians of colonial days in Burlington County, and other kindred topics.: Read before the Historical society of Burlington county, Dec. 11th, 1908
Mrs. J. Morse's celebrated vegetable extract, for rickets, weakness, debility, dropsy, dysentary [sic], diarrhœa, ulcers....
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Published in 1838.
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Full title: Mrs. J. Morse's celebrated vegetable extract, for rickets, weakness, debility, dropsy, dysentary [sic], diarrhœa, ulcers in the head, internal inflamation [sic], cutaneous erruptions caused by impurity of the blood, &c
Panacea, or, The universal medicine: being a discovery of the wonderfull vertues of tobacco taken in a pipe...
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This book includes some of the perceived health benefits of smoking proposed by Giles Everard in 1659.
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Full title: Panacea, or, The universal medicine: being a discovery of the wonderfull vertues of tobacco taken in a pipe: with its operation and use both in physick and chyrurgery
Primitive Physick: or, An easy and natural method of curing most diseases
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This book provides an early account of medical practices by John Wesley in 1747.
The virtues of honey in preventing many of the worst disorders...
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Written by John Hill in 1759.
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Full title: The virtues of honey in preventing many of the worst disorders: and in the certain cure of several others: particularly the gravel, asthmas, coughs, hoarseness, and a tough morning phlegm.

Personal Accounts

Francis David Bacon diary
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This diary of Francis David Bacon was written during the mid-nineteenth century and along with giving an account of Bacon's life as a businessman, also provides some household hints and remedies.
Cope-Evans family papers
The correspondence of Anna S. Cope and Rachel and Jonathan Evans, in particular, often recount family health and well-being, particularly the illnesses of children.
Samuel C. Davis diary
This transciption of Samuel C. Davis's diary gives an account of his experiences with cancer leading up to his death.
Mekeel Family papers
These papers include general spread out accounts of various illness, as well as a letter regarding influenza and several documents involving the illness, treatment, and subsequent death of Arthur Mekeel in 1851.
Josiah White papers
Josiah White was a prominent engineer during the first half of the 19th century. His papers include correspondence discussing health issues, including medication and just generally various people's state of well-being.

Receipt and Commonplace Books

Receipt and Commonplace books are generally handwritten notebooks containing a variety of information: notes, poetry, prayers, recipies, medicines, etc.

David Halsted
Written during the years 1805 to 1839. David Halsted was born in 1777.
Samuel McGrew material
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These materials contain McGrew's diary/commonplace book from the 1830s that contain medicinal recipes as well as thoughts on religion and other reflections.
Margaret Hill Morris recipe book, undated
This recipe book includes a large number of recipes in this volume are for various ailments and illnesses, from adults to infants. Written between 1786 and 1794 by Margaret Morris who was a Quaker born in approximately 1737.
Elizabeth Shoemaker recipe book, circa 1818
Recipe book containing recipes for medical, culinary, and cleaning purposes and was written during the years 1827-1839.
Taylor-Nicholson-Shoemaker-Allinson Collection
Though primarily consisting of genealogical material, this collection also contains a combination recipe and receipt book.
Notebook: The American ladies pocket book for the year 1799
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This work contains home remedies as well as annotated accounts.
Scrapbook
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This scrapbook contains recipes, household hints, and home remedies and was held by members of the Hoopes and Bunting families.