Medical manuscript conservation

In 1993, with the assistance of Academy members, G.L. Huxley and D.M.X. Donnelly, the Library obtained funding from the Böhringer Ingelheim (Fonds) to bind chemistry journals and to conserve medical treatises held in the collections. The Academy’s collection of medical treatises in Irish is the largest in existence and includes many recensions of medieval medical works translated into Irish from Latin. Of over 33 manuscripts held, covering the 15th to the 18th centuries, 13 were selected in 1993 for conservation and preservation. The last of these manuscripts (RIA, MS 23 E 24) was recently conserved with kind support from G.L. Huxley, MRIA. We look forward to exhibiting this manuscript in Academy House later this year.

Barbara McCormack
Librarian

For more informatin on the Academy's collection of medical manuscripts see our past online exhibition 'Gaelic Medical Manuscripts from the Academy Collections'.