This volume arises from a conference held in November 2008 at the Royal Society in London to mark the 275th anniversary of the establishment of the Edward Worth Library in Dr. Steevens' Hospital, Dublin. Many contributions reflect on the alchemical interaction of the sciences - in particular natural philosophy and medicine - and the printed book in the 16th and 17th centuries. Other essays elucidate the historical, intellectual, and social contexts in which this 'alchemy' occurred. The book produces a fascinating insight into the social and intellectual world of Edward Worth.