Facets

1771

#6604.9

Verzeichnis einer Samlung von Bildnissen, gröstentheils berühmter Aerzte; so wohl in Kupferstichen, schwarzer Kunst und Holzschnitten, als auch in einigen Handzeichungen: diesem sin verschiedene Nachrichten und Unmerkungen Vorgesekt, die so wohl zur Geschichte der Arzenengelahrtheit; als vornehinsich zur Geschichte der Künste gehören.

“Very valuable reports on artistic anatomy and the history of anatomic illustration” (Choulant). Probably represents the first history of medical portraiture. Digital facsimile from Googe Books at this link.

1772

#154

Von der Physiognomik.

Lavater was the last of the descriptive physiognomists. He expanded the above work into Physiognomische Fragmente zur Beförderung der Menschenkenntnis und Menschenliebe, 1775-78. This was translated into English by H.…

1773

#155

Théorie de la figure humaine.

This work on the human figure, published more than 100 years after the death of Rubens, is one of a handful of anatomical treatises illustrated by an artist of the first magnitude.

1773

#13842

Beschreibung einer Berlinischen Medaillen-Sammlung, die vorzüglich aus Gedächtnis-Münzen berühmter Aerzte bestehet; in welcher verschiedene Abhandlungen, zur Erklärung der alten und neuen Münzwissenschaft, imgleichen zur Geschichte der Arzneigelahrtheit und der Litteratur eingerücket sind von von J.C.W. Moehsen ...

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1774

#6157

Anatomia uteri humani gravidi tabulis illustrata. The anatomy of the human gravid uterus exhibited in figures.

Hunter originally trained as Smellie’s assistant. Once he achieved brilliant professional and financial success he became a great collector of rare books and manuscripts, coins, paintings, minerals, shells, and antiqu…

1775

#399.1

Septemdecim tabulae…

Santorini died before the completion of these anatomical plates which he intended to be his chef d’oeuvre. This elegantly printed volume is the only significant medical book printed by the celebrated Giambattista Bodo…

1777 –1781

#2278

Observationes anatomicae-pathologicae. 4 vols.

Sandifort’s beautifully illustrated work on pathological anatomy included records of ulcerative aortic endocarditis, renal calculi, hemias, bony ankyloses, and congenital abnormalities. A good account of the “tetralog…

1777

#10347

Two essays. [Essay I. Of suicide]

Of suicide, "probably the most widely read and most influential philosophical treatment of suicide written in modern times," was written in 1755 and originally intended to be published as one of five essays, including…

1777

#10750

Von den Krankheiten der Juden: seinen Brüdern in Deutschland gewidmet.

The earliest book devoted entirely to the health and illness of Jews, written by a Jewish physician. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1778

#1383

Dissertatio inauguralis anatomica de basi encephali et originibus nervorum cranio egredientium libri quinque.

The first accurate enumeration of the 12 cranial nerves, superseding that of Willis (No. 1378). Soemmerring is notable for his accuracy in anatomical illustration. This was his thesis. The same publisher issued an edi…

1778

#7662

Museum Britannicum : being an exhibition of a great variety of antiquities and natural curiosities, belonging to that noble and magnificent cabinet, the British Museum, illustrated with curious prints, engraved after the original designs, from nature, other objects: and with distinct explanations of each figure.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1779

#401.1

Nouveau recueil d’ostéologie et de myologie…

“Without contest the most beautiful of all anatomies for the artist and one of the most remarkable books of its time” (Hahn & Dumaitre). The plates in this work are more fantastic than any other anatomy, suggesting th…

1780

#9547

Osteografia e miografia della testa, mani, e piedi del corpo umano in misura naturale con il catalogo de' nomi propri.

Very distinctive engravings with the captions included within the engraved surfaces. Printed and sold by the artist.

1784

#6706

Degli archiatri pontifici. 2 vols.

Biographies of papal physicians. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1786

#11534

The first American edition, An abridgement of the practice of midwifery: and a set of anatomical tables.

An abridgement of Smellie's obstetrical writings, with plates engraved by the editor and publisher, John Norman, was the first medical book with engraved illustrations published in North America, and also the first bo…

1787

#1104

Vasorum lymphaticorum corporis humani historia et ichnographia.

Mascagni, Professor of Anatomy at Siena, made several discoveries regarding the lymphatics. His beautiful atlas contained 41 engravings of the lymphatics and gained him lasting fame. He had previously published a Prod…

1787

#12163

A collection of engravings, tending to illustrate the generation and parturition of animals, and of the human species.

An idiosyncratic collection of rarely reproduced images with explanatory commentaries in English and French, concerning reproduction and obstetric complications in animals and humans. Topics include: The Funis of a nu…

1789 –1791

#8921

The botanic garden: A poem in two parts. Part I. Containing the economy of vegetation. Part II. The loves of the plants. With philosophical notes. 2 vols.

The first edition of part 2, preceded part 1, being published in 1789. This poem was the chief source of Erasmus Darwin's literary fame during his lifetime. Like his other works, this poem contains a great deal of fre…

1792

#6604.91

Redevoeringen over die wijze om de verscheidene hartstogten op onze wezens te verbeelden…

Lectures on the methods of representing the passions in the human face, and on other aspects of medicine and the arts. German translation, Berlin, 1793. See No. 158.

1792

#13765

Dissertatio inauguralis medica de effectibus musicae in hominem.

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1793 –1835

#11312

Museum anatomicum academiae Lugduno-Batavae. 4 vols.

This work, complete in over 1000 pages, with hundreds of full page plates, was begun by Eduard Sandifort and completed 42 years later by his son Gerard. Many of the plates illustrate diseases of bone. Digital facsimil…

1793

#13897

The family adviser, or, a plain and modern practice of physic; calculated for the use of private families, and accommodated to the diseases of America

Wilkins' book intended for Methodists was issued with the 23rd edition of Wesley's work. Digital facsimile from wellcomecollection.org at this link.

1794

#9833

Engravings, explaining the anatomy of the bones, muscles and joints.

Bell’s atlas of the bones, muscles and joints was issued as a separate work a year after his text, The Anatomy of the Bones, Muscles, and Joints. Bell’s illustrations are some of the most striking in the entire litera…

1794

#11782

Medicina theologica, ou supplica humilde, feita a todos os senhores confessores e directores, sobre o modo de proceder com seus penitentes na emenda dos peccados, principalmente da lascivia, colera, e bebedice.

The first Portuguese work on psychosomatic medicine. The author was a Brazilian who worked in Portugal. Digital facsimile from Wellcomelibrary.org at this link.

1797

#401

Tabula sceleti feminini juncta descriptione.

Soemmerring was noted for his accuracy in anatomical illustration, and the above work is a fine example of his artistic sense. For it he selected the skeleton of a well-built girl of 20 years. Great care was taken in …

1797 –1804

#401.3

The anatomy of the human body. 4 vols.

“The first great textbook contributed by the British school to modern anatomy” (Russell, No. 461).

1798 –1803

#402

A system of dissections. 2 vols.

Published in 7 fascicules and appendix while Bell was still a student, this was Bell’s first independent venture as an author. The anatomical work of Charles Bell and his brother John was among the most significant in…

1799 –1803

#2282

A series of engravings, accompanied with explanations, which are intended to illustrate the morbid anatomy of some of the most important parts of the human body.

The first systematic atlas of pathology. This work was intended to illustrate No. 2281, but, with its extensive descriptive text for each plate, it may be appreciated separately. The black & white engravings were prep…

1801

#1489

Abbildungen des menschlichen Auges.

Soemmerring is best remembered for his fine anatomical illustrations, of which those devoted to the human eye are a good example. In 1791 he made important observations on the macula lutea: "De foramine centrali limbo…

1801

#3580

Icones herniarum. Editae a S. T. Soemmerring.

Camper illustrated his own work, and was an outstanding anatomical artist. His illustrations of hernias are of great value.

1801

#8148

The statistical breviary; shewing, on a principle entirely new, the resources of every state and kingdom in Europe; illustrated with stained copperplate charts, representing the physical powers of each distinct nation with ease and perspicuity. To which is added, a similar exhibition of the ruling powers of Hindoostan.

In this work Playfair invented the pie chart. It has also been suggested that Playfair, often short of funds, may have colored the charts in all the copies himself—the process he characterized as "staining" in the tit…

1802

#11186

Natural theology: Or, evidences of the existence and attributes of the Deity, collected from the appearances of nature.

1803

#8922

The temple of nature; or the origin of society. A poem, with philosophical notes.

Erasmus Darwin's last poem, which mainly expounds his theories of evolution. He traces the progress of life form its origin as microscopic specks in premeval seas to its culmination in a civilized human society. The f…

1803

#13026

A poetical petition against tractorising trumpery and the Perkinistic institution: In four cantos. Most respectfully addressed to the Royal College of Physicians.

This medical satire in doggerel verse, which was ostensibly an attack on Perkins' metallic tractors, or "Perkinism" was actually written in support of them. The work was best known for its second and greatly expanded …

1804

#12687

Memoirs of the life of Dr. Darwin, chiefly during his residence in Lichfield: With anecdotes of his friends, and criticisms on his writing.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1806

#1554

Abbildungen des menschlichen Hoerorganes

1806

#6604.92

Essays on the anatomy of expression in painting.

Bell’s artistic and literary skills combined with his knowledge of anatomy and physiology to make this work a tour de force of art history and the anatomical and physiological basis of facial expression.

1809

#3583

Sull’ernie. Memorie anatomico-chirurgiche.

This splendidly illustrated work with life-size plates includes the description of “Scarpa’s fascia” (creasteric fascia) and Scarpa’s triangle of the thigh.

1811

#406

Anatomia per uso de’pittori e scultori.

This anatomy for artists and sculptors contains 38 good copperplates in black and red.

1812

#14179

Anatomie du gladiateur combattant, applicable aux beaux arts . . . .

Salvage's 21 plates after his own drawings "are based on three casts of bodies dissected to different anatomical layers and set in the pose of the Borghese Gladiator. For these casts he preferred to use the bodies of …

1813

#13214

Kaitai hatsumo [Explanation of Human Anatomy]. 5 vols.

The first Japanese exposition of the whole system of human anatomy, based on original observation. The work includes the records of three dissections performed in Kyoto in 1783, 1798, and 1802. “A Japanese treatise on…

1816

#7488

Anatomia per uso degli studiosi di scultura e pittura.

Mascagni's anatomy for artists and sculptors, edited for posthumous publication by Mascagni's literary execultor Francesco Antonmarchi. 15 hand-colored engraved plates after drawings by Antonio Serantoni (1780j-1837),…

1817

#3585

Recherches anatomiques sur les hernies de l’abdomen.

This is Cloquet’s medical thesis. It was followed by his thesis in competition for head of the anatomy section of the Paris Faculty: Recherches sur les causes et l’anatomie des hernies abdominales. Paris, Méquignon-Ma…

1817

#12746

Nosologie naturelle, ou les maladies du corps humain distribuées par familles. Tome premier. (All published.)

This unfinished work with 22 spectacular plates included some full body images of patients, and unlike other illustrated works by Alibert, it concerned more than skin diseases. Vol. 2 was never published but a second,…

1818

#408

Afbeeldingen van de juiste plaatsing der inwendige deelen van het menschelijk ligchaam.

First anatomical illustrations of frozen sections. De Riemer appears to have been the first to freeze tissues in order to permit fine sectioning for the purposes of diagnosing diseased tissue. Digital facsimile from U…

1818

#4926

Lehrbuch der Störungen des Seelenlebens.

Heinroth drew his psychology from the Bible and maintained that mental health was maintained only by piety and that sin engendered madness; for him treatment was by repentance and a return to the fold. English transla…

1818

#9692

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus. 3 vols.

The full digitized text of the 1818 is available from the Internet Archive at this link.

1820 –1821

#5588

Illustrations of the great operations of surgery, trepan, hernia, amputation, aneurism, and lithotomy.

One of the most dramatically and beautifully illustrated works in the entire literature of surgery. Hand-colored copies show more blood than is usual for surgical treatises of this period. From publication in fascicul…

1820

#8948

Observations sur la fièvre jaune, faites à Cadix, en 1819 par MM. Pariset et Mazet, docteurs en médecine de la Faculté de Paris, et rédigées par M. Pariset.

Pariset and Mazet distinguished themselves combating an outbreak of yellow fever in Spain. Pariset's colleague was apparently not involved with publication of the book, and died in a yellow fever outbreak in Barcelona…

1821 –1831

#409

Anatomie de l’homme, ou descriptions et figures lithographiées de toutes les parties du corps humain. 5 vols.

The first anatomical atlas illustrated by lithography, containing 300 plates in folio format. This was one of the most elaborate of the lithographic “incunabula” produced by Charles Philibert de Lasteyrie, one of the …