Historical Bibliography Updated: June 17, 2026
A description of the Western Islands of Scotland.: Containing a full account of their situation, extent, soils, product, harbours, bays, tides, anchoring places, and fisheries. The ancient and modern government, religion and customs of the inhabitants, particularly of their druids, heathen temples, monasteries, churches, chappels, antiquities, monuments, forts, caves, and other curiosities of art and nature. Of their admirable and expeditious way of curing most diseases by simples of their own product. A particular account of the second sight, or faculty of forseeing things to come, by way of vision, so common among them. A brief hint of methods to improve trade in that country, both by sea and land. With a new map of the whole, describing the harbours, anchoring places, and dangerous rocks, for the benefit of sailers. To which is added a brief description of the Isles of Orkney, and Schetland.
Publication Details
London: Andrew Bell, 1703 CE.
Martin, who graduated MD from Leiden, included throughout his book detailed and non-judgmental documentation of folk medicine practices and ethnobotanic remedies then in use in the region. Digital facsimile of the 1703 edition from Google Books at this link.
Browse Tags
Thematic Classifications
| Catalog Metadata | Reference Information |
|---|---|
| Entry Number | #8870 |
| Permanent Link | https://staging.historyofmedicine.com/entry/11048 |
| Author Bio Link | Wikipedia ↗ |
| External URL | a-description-of-the-western-islands-of-scotland-containing-a-full-account-of-their-situation-extent-soils-product-harbours-bays-tides-anchoring-places-and-fisheries-the-ancient-and-modern-government-religion-and-customs-of-the-inhabitants-particularly-of-their-druids-heathen-temples-monasteries-churches-chappels-antiquities-monuments-forts-caves-and-other-curiosities-of-art-and-nature-of-their-admirable-and-expeditious-way-of-curing-most-diseases-by-simples-of-their-own-product-a-particular-account-of-the-second-sight-or-faculty-of-forseeing-things-to-come-by-way-of-vision-so-common-among-them-a-brief-hint-of-methods-to-improve-trade-in-that-country-both-by-sea-and-land-with-a-new-map-of-the-whole-describing-the-harbours-anchoring-places-and-dangerous-rocks-for-the-benefit-of-sailers-to-which-is-added-a-brief-description-of-the-isles-of-orkney-and-schetland |
Geographic Context
Publication place: London
Mentioned in annotation: Leiden