Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

ed as blood,
red wine,
Then would he speak, & cry as
he were wood.
He would ask and cry for as if
he was mad.
The ‘ceruse’, Pb(OH) 2. 2PbCO 3 , whitelead, was the white make-up
that can be seen on Queen Elizabeth’s portraits.
1397 King Martin II of Sicily appointed the first protomedico who presided
over a health board governing non-physicians, surgeons, midwives,
barbers and especially apothecaries (see 1580).
1423 The ‘Commonality of Physicians and Surgeons of London’ appointed
two apothecaries to inspect the shops and bring any that offended in
the quality of their wares be brought before the Mayor and Aldermen
of the City of London.
College of Physicians and Surgeons founded in London, but ceased
after a few years (Warren, www.chronology.ndo.co.uk).
1436 Johann Gutenberg started to set up his printing press and heralded
the start of the books on herbal medicines.
1443 A Leechbook, manuscript 136 at the Medical Society of London,
mentions the use of quicksilver for scabs. It also refers to a mixture,
which acts as an anaesthetic for ‘cutting’: ‘Gall of a swine 3 spoonfuls:
Juice of Hemlock root 3 spoonfuls: Vinegar 3 spoonfuls all mingled and
the add a spoonful or two of the mixture to a gallon of wine or ale. The
dose of the latter was one spoonful.’ (Warren R Dawson 1934).
1462 First Royal Charter of the Barbers Guild; the guild was concerned
with the treatment of the sick and hurt by outward applications; its
functions were restricted to the City of London and one mile around
(Warren www.chronology.ndo.co.uk).
1477 First German Pharmacopoeia (Artzneibuch) by Ortoloff von
Bayrlandt.
William Caxton set up a printing press in the precincts of
Westminster Abbey (Warren.
www.fphm.org/resources/atoz/r_chronology_of_state_medicine.pdf.
Protomedicati (medical tribunals) set up in Spain to regulate medical
profession and inspect apothecaries’ shops (see 1580).