Antoine Baumé. - Eléments de pharmacie théorique et pratique. - 1773

Antoine Baumé - Elements of Theoretical and Practical Pharmacy: containing all the fundamental operations of this art; with their definition, and an explanation of these operations, by the principles of chemistry; The manner of rightly choosing, preparing, and mixing medicines, with remarks and reflections on each procedure; The means of recognizing counterfeit or altered medicines; The recipes of medicines newly brought into use; The fundamental principles of several arts dependent on pharmacy, such as the art of confectionery, and those of the preparation of eaux de senteur and table liqueurs. With a table of the virtues and doses of medicines — Third edition, revised, corrected & augmented — in Paris, at Samson, 1773 — XLVI pp, 939 pages, (1) f — full sheepskin of the period — fine tall octavo — 13.5 x 20.5 cm.

Condition: Lower cap missing, joints good, hinges solid, corners worn, spine decorated with gold fillets and the title piece (one leather loss on the foot caisson and a tear on the head caisson, some foxing and browned leaves, ex-libris stamp "Grévin, docteur, médecin", red edges. Complete in 1 volume. Overall in good condition.

Illustrated work with 3 engraved plates by Le François and a folding table entitled "Table for the use of the cognac trade". At the end, there is an explanation of several pharmaceutical terms used in the work.

Content: The work details the fundamental operations of the pharmaceutical art explained by the principles of the chemistry of the era, the definitions of the processes, as well as the exposition of the virtues and doses of medicines following each article. It also includes various preparations (syrups, chocolates, jams, etc.).

Antoine Baumé (1728-1804), while running his apothecary in Paris, a "true factory where tons of medicines and chemicals were made" (DBF, V, 934), published numerous memoirs and works on the techniques of the arts and trades and on chemistry or pharmacy."