Category Archives: Curious Herbals

A series exploring NLM’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” books devoted to the description of medicinal plants with instructions on how to use them.

Colored botanical illustration of a dandelion plant. April 14

Some of the Most Beautiful Herbals

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By Michael North This post is the sixth in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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Bontanical illustration of a branch with large oval leaves and stems with clusters of small pink flowers. March 22

Colonialism and the Plant Hunters

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By Michael North This post is the fifth in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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Text block surrounded by flowers and butterflies. January 06

Research Reborn: Dioscorides and Mattioli

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By Michael North This post is the fourth in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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A colored illustration of a corn plant. September 29

A German Botanical Renaissance

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By Michael North This post is the third in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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Colored woodcut showing a bushy plant with handlike leaves, large flowers. July 09

Medieval Herbals in Movable Type

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By Michael North This post is the second in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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A simple botanical illustration of gladiolus leaves and flowers. May 14

The Earliest Herbals

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By Michael North This post is the first in a series exploring the National Library of Medicine’s rich and varied collection of “herbals,” which are books devoted to the description of medicinal plants (and sometimes other natural substances) with instructions on how to use them to treat illness. The Library’s herbals are some of the […]

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