Very little has been written on the unique historical medical heritage of the National Palace of Mafra in Portugal, which celebrated its new status as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. This book brings together a set of innovative studies which consider the importance of this unique collection of medical texts and items of material medical culture. Using a multifaceted approach, topics as diverse as the rise of alchemy at the hands of Paracelsus, the lives and contributions of neglected eighteenth century physicians, and the history of elements of the materia medica are brought together in this celebration of a Portuguese national icon. This book will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of science, and especially those who enjoy the history of medicine and pharmacy, and bibliographic studies.
