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At the dawn of the 19th century, most popular domestic tip books contained ritual magic or at least prayers and explicit superstition. By the time of this particular work in the late 19th century, those had disappeared leaving herbal medicine, simple tips, recipes, and so forth; indeed, the path from grimoire, to this type of text, to modern woodcrafting and recipe books is...

At long last I was able to get a copy of this work (published by deLaurence at the dawn of the 20th century) that was in workable condition. At over 230 pages in length it is a full grimoire initially in three volumes which were first available in the early 18th century in German. Borrowing heavily from the Petit Albert and in the same tradition and lineage as Hohmans' Pow Wows,...

This excellent work is at once a manuscript of folk medicine, an apothecarian work, a recipe book, and a compilation of basic life tips from the 1830s; indeed, it is one of those "receipt books" from the era which, in domestic work, displaced some of the more odd content of the prior eras' cosmopolitan grimoires. Gone is the alchemy in favor of more rational medicinal workings.

Con...

This manuscript is honestly one of the most bizarre things I have ever come across and edited within the occult. A fusion of astrology and medicine, it proposes to diagnose and help treat ailments (often outdated ones with new names) by observing the planets so forth in their movements at the time of complaint and diagnosis. It also says it can determine whether a disease is being...

This homeopathic tract contains a number of remedies (technically late pre-modern folk remedies) for ailments ranging from dyspepsia to hysteria. It also contains a small amount of social reformist sentiment. As with "Weeds Used as Medicine" it was beautifully re-illustrated by Rita Metzner, whose instagram can be seen here.

Some of the weights and measurements used herein are...

This interesting booklet was released in the early 20th century as a helpful government bulletin designed to inform farmers that some of the weeds they were constantly removing from their land were medicinal in nature and potentially of at least enough value to make the work of exterminating them mildly profitable. It has been beautifully re-illustrated by the talented Rita...

Alright everyone, I am steaming through a new work (one that will fit in the demonology category) written from a strictly christian perspective; "Is the Devil a Myth?" by Wimberley, an early 20th century writing of note within the realm of then-modern Victorian philosophy.

I have finished editing my two herbals; what then should I do? Part of me wants to set a couple of days aside and just...

I have decided to fixate upon three medically related works for the month of April and, once they are done (could be soon, I might have to pay an illustrator, I'm tired of slowing my work down to draw up, scan, format, and re-edit interior images!) I intend to begin working on another manuscript of my own composition on the topic of robotics, automation, synthetic life, and similar topics.

These...

This little work manages to compact a large number of recipes (receipts) into a very small page size. Crafted in the early 19th century, it is semi-antiquated in word usage, but provides cures, preventions, and treatments for things common in the era, such as tuberculosis and palsy.

It should not be particularly surprising that a large proportion of medical recipes here contain...

I am very excited by this work; not only because of its region of manufacture but because it is the perfect combination of a receipt book and herbal; two types of texts of great interest to me.

Containing simple herbal remedies for dozens of conditions, it also briefly lists a few dozen botanical species of note that grow within what was once the British dominion of Canada. Added...

The following is a continuously edited list of texts related to herbal medicine, homeopathy, and quack doctoring, which I have edited and released. This list will be updated over time as new titles become available.

PRIMITIVE PHYSIC
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An extensive mid 18th century text of folk and herbal medicine.

MAGIC PLANTS
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A short tract detailing the philosophy of natural magic and...

This wonderful text dates all the way back to the middle of the 18th century. Mostly herbal and folk remedies, it is an extensive receipt-style work covering over 100 specific conditions for which, often, there are several distinct methods of cure listed. Some of the remedies it lists are dangerous and as such I will mention here that in no way do I condone or encourage its use as...