The first systematic treatise on pathology

FERNEL, Jean Francoise.

Medicina. Ad Henricum II Galliarum Lutetiae.

Paris: Andreas Wechel, 1554.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003392

Folio (328 x 222 mm), [12], 248 (i.e., 250); [14], 238, [18]; 90, [10] pp. Signatures: *⁶ a-v⁶ x-z⁴, A-T⁶ V⁴ X⁶ Y⁴ Aa-Gg⁶ Hh-Ii⁴, k signed "lz"; mispaginations in text. Woodcut printer's device on title and final leaf verso, woodcut portrait of Fernel on *3v, numerous woodcut initials and head-pieces. Bound in contemporary full vellum over thin boards, spine hand-lettered in ink (vellum soiled and spotted, spine ends slightly frayed, board fore-edges partially split with cardboard showing, front-pastedown coming off). Text generally quite crisp and clean, clean tear at lower blank margin of title-leaf with old paper repair, short tear to lower gutter of first 4 leaves, a few pages with pale dampstaining, occasional minor spotting, ink- and finger-soiling, ink annotations in contemporary Greek and Latin hands, some ink scribblings in places, tiny rust hole in leaf p6 not affecting text, final leaf verso soiled. Provenance: Charles-Gabriel Lemerchier, M.D. (bookplate to front pastedown); De Rabucourt (signature dated 1762 on title). A handsome copy in untouched binding. ----

Norman 785; Sherrington 48 G1; Adams F-248; NLM/Durling 1459; Wellcome I, 2195; Garrison-M. 2271; Waller 2993; PMM 68 (note). - RARE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST SYSTEMATIC TREATISE ON PATHOLOGY, a cornerstone of French Renaissance medicine, THE GREATEST MEDICAL TEXT OF THE PERIOD which profoundly influenced the practice of medicine throughout Europe. The first part is the earliest treatise devoted to physiology and using that term in its modern sense. The second part is the first medical work to be called a text of "Pathology." In this section the science is treated in its general and its special aspects, just as in a complete modern work. The book contains the only contemporary portrait of Fernel (1497-1558), court physician to Henri II and his queen Catherine de Medici; underneath the portrait is a couplet in Greek by Guillaume Plancy, the first biographer of Fernel. - Visit our website to see more images!

Sold