Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

swollen in the interior, that first the filthy matter, where they
should have annoyed in spitting could find no way out, and at length
their breath was like wise stopped, and an other sort, when they
could not piss, Very few they were that got their health and they
passed through these jeopardises, these bitter pains, and evils.’
Elyot, Thomas Sir, 1490?–1546. ‘Of the knowledge [sic] which
makes a wise man.’
Opium: ‘…and the juice of Poppy, called Opium, to them which by
some unnatural cause be let from sleep, do profit much, if they be
measurably taken: contrary wise if they be taken by him that is much
fleumatike (phlegmatic), and of nature disposed to sleep very
soundly, and also the medicine exceeds his portion, he brings the
patient in to so deep a slepe that he never awakes.’
1534 Otto Brunfels (1484–1534) wrote ‘Herbarium vivae eicones’ [Living
images of plants] with beautiful pictures of plant by Hans von
Weiditz.
1536 Girolamo Cardano (1501–1576) wrote ‘De malo recentiorum
medicorum medendi usu libellus’ [A short treatise on the damaging
use of more recent medicines], Venice, The common medical
practices that Cardano vehemently denounced were seventy-two in
number. He attacked the premise that in every case of illness
immediate recourse should be had to powders and potions. ‘To do
nothing with physic is far better than to do too much, and a physician
desiring to act rightly should consider a great number of things
before setting down prescriptions for the pharmacist to manufacture.’
He denounced other practices, ‘the result of the tribal insecurities of
men who banded themselves together and showed to the world a
surface of pomp and learning that satisfactorily concealed from the
beholders the depth of ignorance beneath.’
1539 ‘Here beginneth a good boke of medecines called the Treasure of
pore men.’ London: imprynted by Robert Redman dwelling at the
sygne of the George nerte to Saint Dunstan’s Church. This is one of
the earliest English medical books. It contains numerous homely
prescriptions, mainly consisting of herbs, for instance: ‘for stopping of
the Spleen. Take the Elder root and seethe (boil) it in white wine unto
the third part & drink therof for it cures marvellously.’ It mentions
henbane, but I could not find mention of hellebore or opium. No
mention of ADRs.
1540 Digitalis purpura was originally discovered in the 16th century by
Leonard Fuchs (1501–1566), who named the plant ‘digitalis’.