Manuscript entitled "An Enquiry into the Elements of General Therapeutics, with Special Illustrations, to which is prefixed an Essay on the Nature Value and Utility of Theory" by Robert Abraham

This is a manuscript on medicine and drugs written by Robert Abraham in 1825 in Carlisle and London.

This manuscript comprises three sections, each including an index:

• Part First. "An Essay on the Nature, Value, and Utility of Theory", starting a few pages before p. 1;
• Part Second. "An Enquiry &c.' into the nature of narcotics, hypnotics, sleep, coma, mania, & idiocy", starting on p. 91;
• Part Third. "An examination of various chemical substances and their effects on the body including, Alcohol, Nitrous Oxide, Oxide of Arsenic, Tobacco, Digitalis, Belladonna, etc.", starting on p. 257.

Abraham worked within the time-honoured tradition of self-experimentation: he ingested various substances including nitrous oxide, sulphuric aether, etc. and recorded their intoxicating, hallucinogenic, or other effects. This ambitious work combines theory, experimentation, and scientific practice.... It is crammed with Abraham's revisions, corrections, and additions throughout, it is a testament to the young Abraham's capacious and inquiring mind forever in search of new discoveries.

Robert Abraham studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, starting his studies in 1823. He was a Member of the London College and a practising surgeon, first in London, then carlisle. He later worked as medical editor of the Llverpool Journal. He emigrated to Canada where be became editor of the Montreal Gazette, trained as a lawyer and practiced as an attorney before returning to journalism.

He made literary contributions to each of the subjects in which he studied and worked: he published articles in the London Medical and Physical Journal, including, "A Case of Sanguineous Apoplexy" (1825), and "Description of an Acephalous Foetus" (1826); while a practicing attorney, he wrote a legal tract; the made a remarkable geological discovery and published a paper entitled, "Tracks of a Chelonian Reptile in the Lower Silurian formation, at Beauharnois', (1851), its was acknowledged by Sir William Logan in Canada, and by Sir Charles Lyell in England.

Open. Please contact the repository in advance.

Purchased in March 2018. Accession no SC-Acc-2020-0030.

Catalogued by Aline Brodin in August 2020, using information from the seller.