POTTER’S CYCLOPAEDIA OF BOTANICAL DRUGS AND PREPARATIONS

 R.C.Wren

 Potter & Clarke

 Crown 8to, Hb, 406 pages, red boards, fourth edition, 1932.

 There are seven chapters to this fascinating book, plus an index and explanation of abbreviations. These books are always interesting; Who has owned and used this book during its lifetime? What preparations have they made and administered, using its imparted knowledge? Even the chapter titles are interesting; Index of Therapeutic Action, Forms of Medicinal Preparations, Doses and Their Equivalents, Herbal Compounds (Continental). The eyes are drawn straight to names such as Aconite, Peruvian Balsam and Blazing Star in the index.

 There is no dust jacket, the gold blocking is still bright. There are three tiny ink name inscriptions at the top of the inside cover and the fep, one of them, during its attempted removal at some time has taken a tiny piece out of the top leading corner of the fep, about the size of a small pea. There is a slightly larger (though stylish) pencilled name inscription. Slight shelf rub to the top and bottom of the spine, minimal. The spine is a slightly lighter shade than the boards, which have a richness that age and handling can sometimes bring to a book in the same way that it enhances a piece of antique furniture. The closed page edges are light red, complementing the boards