A Compleat key to The dispensary

London: printed for T. Wotton, at the three Daggers, and Queen's-Head; J. Lacy, at the Ship; J. Shuckburgh, at the Sun; and C. Motte, at the Middle Temple-Gate, all in Fleet-Street, 1726. First Edition thus. Half-Calf. Near Fine+. The first edition of the key to interpreting Garth's famous and widely reprinted poem to include "A Continuation to the Key." 12mo (156 x 94mm): 35,[1]pp (29-30 misbound following 31-31). Handsomely bound in period-style half calf, marbled paper-covered boards, end papers renewed. Pages lightly toned, else an excellent example of a title very scarce in commerce. NCBEL II 474. Not in Foxon or Lowndes. Fifth Edition (originally published in 1706), including "Verses omitted in the late editions of The dispensary" and "A prologue designed for Tamerlane, . . . written by Dr. Garth." The Dispensary concerns itself with a dispute between the College of Physicians and the Society of Apothecaries. The physicians were learned professionals able to write prescriptions designed to cure a specific ailment, while the apothecaries were lowly tradesmen who simply mixed ingredients together. The poem describes a mock Homeric battle between the two, and records the first attempt to establish outpatient rooms where poor people could obtain advice and prescriptions from the best physicians. The scheme had the strong support of most of the city's physicians, including Sir Samuel Garth, physician in ordinary to George I and physician-general to the British army, but was opposed by the apothecaries, who tried to defeat the plan by charging excessive prices for prescribed drugs. Garth's poem, ridiculing the apothecaries, was extremely popular, going through three editions in its first year of publication, 1699. The key identifies many of individuals (and there were swarms of them) alluded to anonymously in the poem. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).