LEMERY, Nicolas. - Pharmacopée universelle - 1697

LEMERY, Nicolas.
Pharmacopée universelle. Contenant toutes les compositions de pharmacie qui sont en usage dans la Médecine, tant en France que par toute l'Europe; leurs vertus, les doses, les manières d'opérer les plus simples & les meilleures.

Paris: Laurent D'Houry, 1697.


Large quarto; [xv], 1050 pp., [36 pp. table]; fine engraved portrait of Lemery as frontispiece;

Good contemporary mottled calf binding, spine with raised bands and gilt decoration. Ex libris Menusson (purchased "8# at the sale of Mr. Guillon on March 6, 1738").

Nicolas Lémery’s Pharmacopée universelle (Paris: Laurent d’Houry, 1697) is one of the most influential pharmaceutical reference works of the late 17th century. Lémery, a French chemist and physician, was known for helping to systematize chemistry and medicine at a time when pharmaceutical knowledge was still deeply tied to traditional Galenic theory, alchemy, and empiricism. In this work, he aimed to compile a comprehensive and practical manual of medicinal preparations used across France and Europe. Unlike earlier pharmacopoeias that often relied on obscure theoretical explanations, Lémery emphasized clarity, reproducibility, and practical instruction, reflecting the growing influence of experimental science in the medical field.

The Pharmacopée universelle contains detailed descriptions of pharmaceutical compositions used in contemporary medical practice, including their ingredients, preparation methods, dosages, and therapeutic applications. Lémery organized the material in a systematic way, making it accessible to apothecaries, physicians, and surgeons. He described both simple remedies and more complex compound medicines, often explaining the chemical processes involved in their preparation. His approach reflected his background in chemistry, particularly his interest in mineral-based preparations and chemical reactions, which helped bridge the gap between traditional herbal medicine and emerging chemical pharmacy.

"Lemery's chief contributions to pharmacy were his two complementary works, the Universal Pharmacopoeia and the Treatise on Simple Drugs. These are alphabetically arranged lists of composite and simple remedies respectively, giving the source, virtues, doses, and therapeutic action of the various medicaments. They represent a comprehensive dictionary of pharmaceuticals" (DSB).

His Pharmacopée universelle (1697) was a great success and many editions followed. The first edition here is very scarce as it was the first printed in limited nu mbers. Thomas Thomson wrote of him that he was "The first Frenchman who completely stripped chemistry of its mysticism, and presented it to the world in all its native simplicity".

Some references:

Garrison, Fielding H. An Introduction to the History of Medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1929. (Discusses Lémery’s role in the development of chemical medicine and references his pharmacological writings.)

Sonnedecker, Glenn. Kremers and Urdang’s History of Pharmacy. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1976. (Includes Lémery as a key figure in the transition from alchemical to chemical pharmacy, with mention of his pharmacopoeia.)

Debus, Allen G. The French Paracelsians: The Chemical Challenge to Medical and Scientific Tradition in Early Modern France. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. (Places Lémery within the chemical medical tradition and cites his pharmaceutical contributions.)

Brockliss, Laurence W. B., and Colin Jones. The Medical World of Early Modern France. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. (Provides contextual discussion of French medical practice and references major pharmacopoeias including Lémery’s work.)

A fine copy of this very rare first edition of one of the most important works on pharmacy, frequently reprinted in the 18th century.