A catalogue of printed books in the Wellcome library, vol. 5: Books printed from 1641 to 1850, S–Z, London, The Wellcome Trust, 2006, pp. x, 532, £80.00 (+ £5 p&p) (hardback 1-84129-061-0). (Orders to: The Wellcome Library, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK.)

Abstract

The publication of this volume completes the five-volume catalogue of printed books 1641–1850 in the Wellcome Library, begun in 1962. The scope and size of the Wellcome's collection ensures that its catalogue also functions as an essential bibliography of the history of medicine. The completion of the fifth volume finally removes the difficulties always experienced in using an incomplete published catalogue. At last the user can follow up the cross-references to Sir James Young Simpson, and other authors, from volumes 1–4. The richness of the Wellcome's collections is now fully displayed with the incorporation of Thomas Sydenham, the many entries for G E Stahl and G W Wedel, and others. The range of material is illustrated by six editions of Eliza Smith's Compleat housewife, twelve entries for Joanna Southcott, the prophetess, and numerous works of travel and botany. For the user there is both pleasure and utility in the presentation of an author catalogue. One of the principal benefits of a printed catalogue is in the layout, giving the opportunity to see all the works of the chosen author in a single sequence. The ubiquitous online catalogue does not do this; indeed it can be difficult to obtain a full list of an author's works in a comprehensible order. From this point of view the completion of the catalogue in printed form is all the more welcome. However, this volume relies on being used alongside the online version, lacking as it does added entries and translators. It also lacks shelfmarks, which were sometimes noted in previous volumes: these too must be sought in the online catalogue. The introduction recognizes that a number of compromises have been necessary in order to complete this catalogue. Some of these lead to incompatibilities and inconsistencies. The lack of added entries and cross-references has been mentioned. Title entries and institutional entries appear at the end of the volume. The arrangement of entries under author is alphabetical by title, while in previous volumes it was chronological—a potential trap for the unwary. The forms of names now follow AACR2 and are not necessarily consistent with those found in the earlier volumes. To illustrate further how changes in practice over a period of time have created inconsistencies, Eliza Smith's Compleat housewife, mentioned above, has a cross-reference in volume 1, from the heading COMPLETE, to Smith, E., The compleat housewife, by E.S. [c. 1726, etc]. This leads the reader to the correct heading in volume 4, but there is no undated or 1726 edition. Another cross-reference from COMPLETE to Wolley, H. leads nowhere since the author is now entered as Woolley, Hannah. Nevertheless, the present volume, despite all its compromises, offers the best available solution at a time when the cost of production of large printed catalogues is virtually prohibitive. It continues and echoes the changing aspirations, intentions and achievements of the outstanding scholar–librarians who have worked to complete this catalogue over so many years. The particular contribution of John Symons, the former curator of early printed books, to the completion of the Wellcome catalogue cannot be overestimated.