The Vegetable Materia Medica, by the botanist William P.C. Barton, was published 1817-1819 in an edition of 500 copies containing fifty hand-colored plates. This offered one of the first illustrated books depicting medicinal plants native to America, allowing for their identification, and facilitating their use. Barton published widely on both botanical and medical topics, as well has having a reputation as an adept surgeon and a fine clinician skilled in the treatment of diseases. Both Barton’s classical background and his extensive knowledge of medicine are on display in this book. The text of Barton’s volumes explain the appearance, the habitat, and the genesis of each plants scientific and vulgar names, as well as their medical properties. The exceptionally-beautiful illustrations were hand-painted by Barton’s wife, Esther. Barton often offered multiple depictions of each plant, the first illustrating the plant as you might come upon it, in situ, and others showing the roots and the parts of the flower or leaves in detail. One plate illustrating purple skunk-cabbage is brilliantly-rendered as described by Barton in the text; Barton enumerates the plant’s virtues as a respiratory aid for asthmatics, as an expectorant, and as a useful antispasmodic. Barton treats each plant described similarly.
