says Neuburger, lacks depth and thoroughness, and reveals the author to be overfond of employing drugs, especially in combination, and by no means free from a belief in the efficacy of amulets and other supernatural remedies. It contains, however, one or two references to matters of historical interest. For example, in Chapter V., Part III., mention is made of spectacles. So far as now appears, this is the first time that these useful contrivances are referred to in medical literature; and the casual manner in which the author speaks of them suggests the idea that they had already been known for some time. Possibly Roger Bacon, who interested himself in researches in the department of optics and who was a contemporary of Gordonius, may have had something to do with the invention of spectacles.
At the ceremony of the marriage of the Duchess Juta of Austria to Count Louis of Oettingen, at Vienna in 1319, Pietro Buonaparte, the Podesta of Padua, created considerable excitement by wearing a pair of spectacles which he had received a short time previously from Salvino degli Armati of Florence, the reputed inventor of these contrivances. It is not generally known that the printing of books in very large and bold type during the latter part of the fifteenth and the early part of the sixteenth centuries was done expressly for the benefit of far-sighted readers—this defect in vision characterizing a very large percentage of the learned men of that period. The great number of books which, during those early days of the art of printing, were published in this style, emphasizes the fact that the usefulness of spectacles was not generally appreciated until after the lapse of many scores of years. Being very expensive they were within the reach of only persons of wealth, and, in addition, they were extremely difficult to obtain. As late as during the year 1572, Augustus, Elector of Saxony, moved by a strong wish to possess a pair of spectacles, despatched a special messenger first to Leipzig and then to Augsburg with instructions to purchase them for him at the great annual fair. This agent, however, was unsuccessful in the attempt, and, accordingly, in the summer of 1574, he was instructed to ride on as far as
