Leading 17th-century Irish scientist Robert Boyle was ahead of his time in trying to test specific medicines for the treatment of diseases or conditions, according to an Irish expert on medicines.
Lecturer in pharmacognosy at Trinity College Dublin, Ingrid Hook, said Boyle believed in “simple medicines” and tried to test their effectiveness against various conditions. “The medicines he recommended were of animal, mineral or herbal origin and although some may seem strange to us today, such as woodlice or dung, many others are still in use,” said Ms Hook.
Ms Hook is one of a number of scientific figures who will address the inaugural Robert Boyle Summer School in his ancestral home of Lismore, Co Waterford. It will run until Wednesday. Visit robertboyle.ie.
