Milestones of Science Books

BOURNEVILLE, Desire Magloire and REGNARD, Paul.

Iconographie photographique de la Salpétrière. Service de M. Charcot.

Paris: Bureaux du Progrès Médical, 1880.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003767

1879-1880. Volume 3 (of 3) only. 4to (218 x 183 mm). [4], [1-3] 4-259, [3] pp., including half-title, title printed in red and back and with collotype of the Salpêtrière in Paris, errara leaf at end, 40 photolithographed (collotype) plates numbered I to XL and some text illustrations. Bound without the final blank leaf. Three-quarter red morocco and marbled boards, spine with 4 raised bands, gilt lettering in 2nd and 4th compartment and the others paneled in blind and gilt, marbled endpapers (rubbing to extremities, minor paper chipping to board edges, corners scuffed). All leaves mounted on stubs. Light browning and some occasional foxing of text (half-title browned a bit stronger), the plates bright and clean throughout. A very good copy, free of staining or markings. The collation conforms to that of the Norman copy. ----

Crabtree 982; Norman 291. - RARE FIRST EDITION of the third volume of this photographic atlas, which is devoted to cases of epilepsy, hysteria, somnambulism and magnetism, accompanied by case histories, the practice of hypnotism and an appendix treating the esbat. Bourneville was Charcot's assistant at the Salpetriere from 1870 to 1879. In 1862 Charcot became physician to the hospital of the Salpêtrière, with which his name will always be associated. Here, from small beginnings, he created the greatest neurological clinic of modern times, which was followed by enthusiastic students from all parts of the world. This collection of numerous cases is important on account of the brilliant photos taken at different stages of the attacks by two of the most gifted of Charcot's pupils.
"The Iconographie photographique de la Salpêtrière (1876-80) is a landmark publication in medical photography. This collection of texts and photographs represents the female patients of Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot at the Salpêtrière hospital and asylum during the years of his tenure as director. The patients, diagnosed primarily with hysteria or epilepsy, were treated at the asylum even as they acted as experimental subjects for Charcot's development of the hysteria diagnosis. This collection represents a transformative moment in the history of the diagnosis, treatment, and representation of mental illness" (Yale University, 2022 online resources). - Visit our website to see more images!

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