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“Seek and ye shall find” seems to be the motto of modern medicinal chemists,
whether digging out soil fungi, diving in the tropics or uprooting rare plants
in the search for the next natural product to cure all our ills. Ancient recipes
and the potions of the apothecaries provide some more helpful pointers, and
Prospecting for Drugs in Ancient and Medieval European Texts
(£39/$65, ISBN 3 7186 5928 X), edited by Bart Holland, is a treat
for the pharmaceuticals researcher, bringing to light the potential of trawling
through old manuscripts.