Scientific and medical writings in Old and Middle English : an electronic reference /

Voigts and Kurtz's CD-ROM catalog of some 8,504 Old and Middle English texts is the product of almost 15 years of research in British and North American museums and manuscript libraries. Their database supports the study of science, technology, and medicine in medieval England, particularly for the period 1375-1500. Designed to be used in tandem with Lynn Thorndike and Pearl Kibre's Catalogue of Incipits of Mediaeval Scientific Writings in Latin (1937), this database makes accessible 9,694 records that may be searched by entering terms or by browsing the fully searchable indexes for author, title, incipits, subject, translator, and Thorndike-Kibre. Subject access employs an elegantly constructed set of enhanced descriptors. Boolean searching is available through the keyword search function. Many subjects not classed as scientific today but so regarded in the Middle Ages (e.g., "Recipes, magic") are included. There is no print or Internet counterpart. The software is simple to install, and user help and software support are available by e-mail, telephone, and internal user guides. For undergraduates, clear documentation includes a narrative introduction, explanation of search strategies, and a comprehensive glossary of search terms. Searching is facilitated by a well-designed interface. A title search for "Compound of Alchemy" yielded nine basic records with VK number, language, library, and manuscript name; clicking on the "eye" icon in the top right-hand corner of any record produces a more detailed, yet equally lucid record. Definitions, location codes, cross-referencing, and help are a mouse click away from any search result. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.