Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
12 Historical survey Figure 2.5. The title page of the second edition of Stirpivm Nomenclator Pannonicvs (Antwerp, 1584) items of botanical interest to analysts today (Figure 2.7). 15 Some comments need adding, for the sake of completeness, on a work of medical botany by GERGELY FRANKOVITH (FRANKOVICS, no dates), who was of Slavonian descent. 16 His Useful and Most Needful Book, 17 printed by JOHANNES MANLIUS (JANEZ [JANZ] MANDLEC, С 1532 - с. 1610) at Németújvár, counts as the first medical book in Hungarian and the first book from Hungary containing copperplate engravings. 18 For instance, FRANKOVITH listed about 60 easily obtained plants growing in Hungary as ingredients for a serapias ointment, which suggests profound botanical knowledge. He may have been the kind of 17th-century medical botanist who knew much about plants, but saw them only as pharmacological ingredients. 19 FRANKOVITH and ISTVÁN BEYTHE may well have been in scholarly contact, as the latter wrote a testimonial for the former's work. 20 15 PRISZTER, SZ. 2001. Beythe András „Füveskönyv"-ének botanikai és nyelvészeti vonatkozásai (Botanical and linguistic aspects of AB's Herbal). Praenorica Folia historico-naturalia 4:29-39. 16 BORSA, G. 1956. Frankovith Gergely. Országos Orvostörténeti Közlemények 3:133-40. 17 Hasznos Es Fölötte Szikseges könyv, az Isten fiainak és vtet félő hiueknek lelki vigasztalasokra és testi epöletökre szereztetöt Frankovith Gergely D. által. Mellyben sok rendbeli betegsegök ellen való orvossagokis be vannak ima, mellyeket Isten az ő nagy io voltábul es ajándékából. Emböröknek egessegekre rendölt. Ecclesiast. 38. Tiszteld az orvost az sziksegert (Useful and most needful book written by Gergely D. Frankovith for the spiritual solace and bodily health of the sons of God and those faithful to them. In which are written also cures for many systemic diseases, which God by his great goodwill and gift has ordered for the health of men. Ecclesiasticus 38. Honour a physician for [his] uses.). 1588, printed at Monyorókerék (Eberau) by Johannes Manlius. This is a reprint of the first edition, which is thought to have appeared in Németújvár between 1582 és 1585. For details, see BORSA 1956. 18 ECSEDY, J.V. 1999. A könyvnyomtatás Magyarországon a kézisajtó korában, 1473-1800 (Book Printing in Hungary in the Age of the Hand Press, 1473-1800). Budapest: Balassi Kiadó. This contains much detail about the work of JOHANNES MANLIUS in Western Hungary. 19 See GOMBOCZ 1936. 20 FLATT, K. 1895. Frankovith Gergely és orvos-botanikai műve (GF and his medical botanical work). Természettudományi Közlöny, Pótfüzetek 27:49-59; BORSA, G. 1955. Ismeretlen Manlius-naptár (An unknown Manlius calendar). Magyar Könyvszemle (NS) 5:114-17. The commendation in the second edition reads, 'Excellentissimi ас doctissimi Viri Domini Stephani Beythe, Superattendentis per Vngarian digniss. & с Testatum.' See BORSA 1956.
