Medicina Britannica: Or, A Treatise on Such Physical Plants, as Are Generally to be Found in the Fields or Gardens in Great-Britain; Containing a Particular Account of their Nature, Virtues, and Uses. Together with The Observations of The Most Learned Physicians, as well Ancient as Modern, Communicated to the Late Ingenious Mr. Ray, and The Learned Dr. Sim. Pauli. Adapted More Especially to the Occasions of Those, Whose Condition or Situation of Life Deprives them, In a Great Measure, of The helps of The Learned. To which are added, Three Indexes: The First Containing the English and Latin Names of The Plants Treated of: The Second of Diseases, and Their Remedies: The Third to the Notes.

"Medicina Britannica: Or, A Treatise on Such Physical Plants, as Are Generally to be Found in the Fields or Gardens in Great-Britain; Containing a Particular Account of their Nature, Virtues, and Uses. Together with The Observations of The Most Learned Physicians, as well Ancient as Modern, Communicated to the Late Ingenious Mr. Ray, and The Learned Dr. Sim. Pauli. Adapted More Especially to the Occasions of Those, Whose Condition or Situation of Life Deprives them, In a Great Measure, of The helps of The Learned. To which are added, Three Indexes: The First Containing the English and Latin Names of The Plants Treated of: The Second of Diseases, and Their Remedies: The Third to the Notes" by Tho Short.

"Medicina Britannica" by Thomas Short, M.D. is an important early work of medicinal botany, describing physical plants commonly found in the fields and gardens of Great Britain and detailing their nature, virtues, uses, and medicinal applications. The work also draws upon observations by earlier physicians and includes three useful indexes covering the English and Latin names of plants, diseases and their remedies, and the accompanying notes. The book was particularly intended for those who had limited access to learned physicians.

First Edition, London, 1746. 8vo. (4.75" x 7.75"), xxxi + 352 pp. 1746, London: Printed for R. Manby and H. Shute Cox: Full brown mottled calf with single gilt rule framing the boards. Spine with five raised bands and gilt lettering to a burgundy leather label, framed with gilt rule in the second compartment; the spine is rubbed, affecting the gilt lettering. All edges reddened.

The binding shows edgewear, with bumped and rubbed corners and tiny loss to two tips. The head and foot of the spine are chipped with small loss, and the boards are scuffed and rubbed. A paper label marked “Vb” is centered on the front pastedown, with a bookplate/shelf-placement label bearing the initials “G.M.” centered on the first free endpaper. An earlier owner's name appears in old ink, written upside down, at the foot of the first free endpaper.

There is separation from the spine along the lower half of the first two leaves, although they remain securely attached. Biodegradation holes occur at the foot of the first several leaves, with some finger smudging to the fore-edges of several pages.

Overall, an attractive and historically interesting First Edition filled with 18th-century medicinal botanical knowledge, particularly notable for its detailed treatment of British plants and their therapeutic uses.