Platearius, Matthæus, one of the most distinguished writers of the famous medical school of Salerno, about the middle of the 12th century. He compiled the remarkable dictionary of drugs, “Liber de simplici medicina,” which was extremely appreciated during the next centuries, and even reprinted as late as the beginning of the 17th century. The work begins with a definition of the signification of the term Simplex medicina; it is in these words: Circa instans negotium de simplicibus medicinis nostrum versatur propositum. Simplex autem medicina est, quæ talis est, qualis a natura producitur: ut gariofilus, nux muscata et similia.... The work of Platearius is therefore usually quoted under the name Circa instans. The list of the 273 drugs enumerated in “Circa instans” will be found in Choulant (l.c. at p. 751), [p. 298]. We have referred to “Circa instans” as contained in the volumes—Dispensarium magistri Nicolai præpositi ad aromatarios, Lugduni, 1517, or Practica Jo. Serapionis, Lugd. 1525.
See pages [225]. [316]. [581].
Plinius (Cajus Plinius Secundus), a.d. 23-79, the well-known author of the “Naturalis historiæ libri xxxvii.” We have particularly used Littré’s translation, “Histoire naturelle de Pline,” published in 2 vols. by Firmin Didot, Paris, 1877.
See pages [6]. [35]. [43]. [97]. [147]. [161]. [179]. [234]. [276]. [281]. [291]. [305]. [310]. [325]. [329]. [333]. [377]. [434]. [439]. [474]. [486]. [488]. [493]. [503]. [519]. [529]. [543]. [556]. [558]. [576]. [595]. [609]. [627]. [644]. [661]. [664]. [672]. [677]. [680]. [729]. [733].
Plukenet, Leonard, 1642-1706, physician, director of the Royal gardens, London; collector of a large herbarium still existing in the British Museum.
See page [16].
Polo, Marco, a noble Venetian, the most famous among mediæval travellers. He spent 25 years, from 1271 to 1295, in Asia, chiefly in China. The account of his travels was written, in French, in 1298, by Rusticiano of Pisa, and published since in numerous translations and abstracts. We have chiefly referred to the two following excellent works: (1) Pauthier. Le livre de Marco Polo, publié pour la première fois d’après trois manuscrits inédits de la Bibliothèque impériale de Paris, 1865. (2) Yule. The book of Ser Marco Polo the Venetian, concerning the kingdom and marvels of the East, with notes and illustrations. 2 vols. London, 1871, second edition 1874.
See pages [200]. [282]. [494]. [510]. [512]. [520]. [584]. [636]. [717].
Pomet, Pierre, “marchand épicier et droguiste à Paris, rue des Lombards, à la Barbe d’Or.”—Histoire générale des drogues, 1694, fol. 528 pages, 400 engravings. There are later editions in 2 vols., 4°; that of 1735 by the author’s son, an “apotiquaire” at St. Denis. See Hanbury’s appreciation of the book, Pharm. Journ. i. (1870) 298.
See pages [21]. [26]. [73]. [118]. [126]. [148]. [260]. [263]. [479]. [617]. [623]. [648]. [657].