Bodleian Library, Oxford University

MS. Locke f. 22

A bound volume used by Locke for medical notes. The number “74” appears inside the front cover, but this may not be a date. The books cited in the reading notes are all known to have been read by Locke shortly before his move to London in May 1667, and these may date from c. 1666. Other parts of the book may be even older.

A substantial part of the book is devoted to systematic notes on diseases (pp. 22-249). Under each disease are sections on E[xempla], D[escriptio], P[rognosis], and C[uratio]. The notes begin on the verso of each opening, with continuations or additions on the opposite recto; many of the rectos are blank. On pp. [362]-[365] is an index constructed according to Locke’s earlier method, with headings indented under an alphabet across the top of the page.

In addition to the notes on diseases, pp. 2-21 contain notes from Locke’s reading of medical books. On pp. iv-1, there is an index, constructed as above, but with only two entries, neither of which appear in this notebook.

The volume is not signed, but pp. 1-249 are numbered by Locke; pp. 250-361 are blank; pp. 362-365 contain the index; pp. 366-369 are blank; the final page contains a prescription; there are also four pages preceding p. 1 (pp. iv-1 contains another index with only two entries, neither of which is in this volume).

iv, 1-249 250-370 pages. 148 × 92 mm. Bound in calf with some blind tooling.