The Path Way to Health: Wherein are to be Found Most Excellent and Approved Medicins of Great Vertue, as also Notable Potions and Drinks

The path way to health : wherein are to be found most excellent and approved medicins of great vertue, as also notable potions and drinks, with the art of distilling divers precious waters, for making of oyles, and other comfortable receipts, for the health of the body, never before printed.

Peter Levens

London : Printed for J.W. and are to bee sold by Charls Tyus, at the three Bibles on London-Bridge, MDCLXIV, 1664


[Folk Medicine; Early English home remedies, magical perspections] Bound in early leather backed boards.  Leather spine worn, with loss to spine. Rear board detaching. Minor browning.  [6], 380, [16 (of 24)] pages.  Lacking 4 leaves of rear table.  "First gathered by Peter Levens, Mr. of Arts in Oxford, and student in Physick and Chirurgery, and now newly corrected and augmented."  Krivatsy 6930. Contains a list of medicines for a variety of ailments (including hair-loss, and head-aches, making hair yellow, contraception, STDs, child-birth, incontinence, broken bones, etc.). An interesting collection, it 

"Peter Levens who sunburn, died and practised both physic and surgery, is styled, "Master of Arts, of Oxon," in the title to his book, called "The Path way to Health; wherein are most excellent and approved Medicines of great Virtue," &c. This book was first published in 1587. Mr. Wood informs us, that the author, or rather collector, of these receipts, who appears to have been no graduate in physic, was some time fellow of Magdalen College, in Oxford. Mr. Boyle's "Medicinal Experiments or a Collection of choice and safe Remedies," for the use of families and country-people, is the most noted book of this kind. John Wesley hath published a collection of receipts called "Primitive Physic," among which are some very good ones particularly Sir Stephen Fox's remedy for weak eyes. This book, by the help of the title, hath had a good run, particularly among the Methodists whose faith, co-operating with nature frequently made them whole when Mr. Wesley had the credit of the cure." - DNB, 308-309 p. Pathway.  Wing L1819; Wellcome III, p.508 (citing 1653 ed.)

  • Product Code: 1907220083
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Tags: Medicine, Medical History, Antiquarian