Coming Soon
A comprehensive catalogue of digital copies for the complete run of Andrew Duncan's Medical and Philosophical Commentaries (1773-1795) and its successor publication, Annals of Medicine.
About the Publications
Medical and Philosophical Commentaries (1773-1795)
- Founded and edited by Andrew Duncan (1744-1828)
- Published in Edinburgh
- 20 volumes across the full run
- One of the most important medical journals of the Scottish Enlightenment
- Featured contributions from leading Edinburgh physicians
- Covered medical cases, chemical discoveries, and natural philosophy
Annals of Medicine (1796-1804+)
- Direct successor to Medical and Philosophical Commentaries
- Continued Duncan's editorial work
- Maintained similar scope and standards
Why This Matters
These journals provide essential primary sources for understanding:
- Edinburgh medical practice and theory in the late 18th century
- Chemical and pharmaceutical discoveries
- Medical education and institutional developments
- Networks of Scottish physicians and natural philosophers
- Reception and discussion of new medical theories
Contributors included William Cullen, Joseph Black, James Hutton, and other major figures of the Scottish Enlightenment.
What This Resource Will Provide
For each volume:
- Links to digital copies (HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Google Books)
- Bibliographic details
- Volume and issue information
- Table of contents where available
- Notable contributors and articles
- Current location of physical copies
Search and filtering:
- Filter by year, volume, or contributor
- Search across all tables of contents
- Find articles by topic or author
- Cross-reference with other Edinburgh publications
Digital Availability
Many volumes are already digitized and available through:
- HathiTrust - Most comprehensive collection
- Internet Archive - Good coverage
- Google Books - Variable access depending on location
This resource will consolidate all known digital copies, provide direct links, and note which volumes remain difficult to access.
Coverage Statistics (Preliminary)
Medical and Philosophical Commentaries:
- 20 volumes (1773-1795)
- Estimated 400-500 individual articles
- Major contributors identified
- Most volumes available digitally
Annals of Medicine:
- Multiple volumes (1796-1804+)
- Continuation of same editorial standards
- Digitization status being assessed
Related Resources
Complementary Edinburgh periodicals:
- Scottish Enlightenment Periodicals - Monthly Review, Critical Review
- Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal (1805-1855) - Later publication
Biographical resources:
- Duncan was central to Edinburgh medical community
- Founded Royal Public Dispensary (1776)
- Professor at University of Edinburgh
Use Cases
Medical historians: Track development of specific medical theories or treatments Historians of science: Find discussions of chemical and natural philosophical discoveries Biographical researchers: Locate contributions by specific physicians Network analysis: Map connections among Edinburgh medical men
Project Status
Current progress:
- ✅ Bibliography compiled
- ⏳ Cataloguing digital copies in progress
- ⏳ Tables of contents being transcribed
- ⏳ Cross-referencing with other resources
Estimated completion: Late 2026
Technical Implementation
When complete, this resource will include:
- Sortable table with all volumes
- Direct links to best digital copy for each volume
- Search functionality across tables of contents
- Export options for bibliographic data
- Integration with citation managers
Further Reading
On Andrew Duncan:
- Gray, John. "History of the Royal Medical Society 1737-1937." Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1952.
- Kaufman, Matthew H. "Medical Teaching in Edinburgh During the 18th and 19th Centuries." Edinburgh: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 2003.
On Edinburgh medical periodicals:
- Rosner, Lisa. "Medical Education in the Age of Improvement: Edinburgh Students and Apprentices, 1760-1826." Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1991.
This resource will complement the existing guide to Scottish Enlightenment periodicals and provide essential access to Edinburgh medical literature.