Facets

1698

#385.1

The anatomy of humane bodies, with figures drawn after the life by some of the best masters in Europe.

The largest in format, and most elaborate and beautiful of all 17th century English treatises on anatomy, and also one of the most extraordinary plagiarisms in the entire history of medicine. Cowper purchased sets of …

1699

#153

Orang-outang, sive homo sylvestris: Or, the anatomy of a pygmie compared with that of a monkey, an ape, and a man.

The earliest work of importance in comparative morphology. Tyson compared the anatomy of man and monkeys and between the two he placed the chimpanzee, which he regarded as the typical pygmy. This was the origin of the…

1699

#7965

The dispensary: A poem. In six cantos.

An aggressive criticism of quack medicines, apothecaries who produced them, and physicians who prescribed them.

1700

#2448.2

De la géneration des vers dans le corps de l’homme.

The first medical parasitology text– an exhaustive study of the parasites of man, the diseases associated with them and their treatment. Andry’s views were often ahead of his time. Unlike most of his contemporaries, h…

1701 –1715

#389

Thesaurus anatomicus primus [-decimus]... Het eerste [-tiende] anatomisch cabinet....

Probably the most original artist in the history of anatomical preparations, Ruysch enjoyed making up elaborate three-dimensional emblems of mortality from his specimens. These fantastic, dream-like concoctions constr…

1712

#301

Sur les diverses reproductions qui se font dans les écrevisses, les omars, les crabes....

Réaumur showed that crustaceans replace their lost limbs, a fact until then disputed.

1715

#302

Istoria del camaleonte Affricano e di varj animali d’Italia.

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1715

#9170

Elephantographia curiosa, seu elephanti descriptio.

The first monograph on the elephant, including 28 plates. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

1719

#13450

Mariæ Sibillæ Merian Dissertatio de generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surinamensium: In quâ, præter vermes et erucas Surinamenses, earumque admirandam metamorphosin, plantæ, flores & fructus, quibus vescuntur, & quibus fuerunt inventæ, exhibentur. His adjunguntur bufones, lacerti, serpentes, araneæ, aliaque admiranda istius regionis animalcula

Originally as Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium. Amsterdam, 1705. The 1719 contains 12 additional plates and corresponding text, 10 provided by the author's daughters from material left at her death, and 2 suppli…

1720

#303

Amphitheatrum zootomicum.

“First extensive work on the comparative anatomy of vertebrates” (Casey Wood).

1720

#13743

A natural history of English insects. Illustrated with a hundred copper plates, curiously engraven from the life: And (for those who desire it) exactly coloured by the author.

"Little is known of Albin’s early life, though he was probably born in Germany to a family named Weiss. By 1708 he had changed his surname to Albin and was living in London with his family. His profession of art teach…

1722

#10199

A journal of the plague year: Being observatrions or memorials, of the most remarkable occurrences, as well publick as private, which happened in London during the last great visitation in 1665. Written by a citizen who continued all the while in London. Never made publick before.

Though he may be most widely remembered as a novelist--especially for Robinson Crusoe, Defoe was an English trader, writer of non-fiction as well as fiction, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. This book is an account of…

1724

#392.1

Myotomia reformata.

This work made a modest first appearance in 1694 as an octavo, but Cowper worked until his death on a new edition which was finally published posthumously under the supervision and at the expense of Richard Mead (1673…

1725

#8095

Opera omnia anatomica & chirurgica. Edited by Herman Boerhaave and Bernhard Siegfried Albinus. 2 vols.

Vesalius's collected works with the famous woodcuts reproduced as copperplate engravings by Jan Wandelaar (1690-1759). Notably Boerhaave and Albinus had this edition published because Vesalius's works still had practi…

1725

#11223

Histoire physique de la mer.

The first book devoted entirely to marine science and the first oceanographic study of a single region. Marsigli conducted an intensive investigation of the Gulf of Lyon in the south of France, taking soundings to obt…

1726

#12958

Danubius pannonico-mysicus, observationibus geographicis, astronomicis, hydrographicis, historicis, physicis perlustratus et in sex tomos digestus. 6 vols.

An extensive illustrated work, with 283 copperplate engravings, on the natural history of the Danube river, the longest river in central Europe, which runs from southern Germany into Austria, through Slovakia, Hungary…

1731 –1747

#9571

The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants: Particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors. Together with their descriptions in English and French. To which are added observations on the air, soil and waters: With remarks on agriculture, grain, pulse, roots &c. To the whole is prefixed a new and complete map of the countries treated of. 2 vols.

The only attempt to record the natural history of a region of America during the colonial period. Includes 220 fine handcolored etched plates after and by Catesby and mostly signed with his cipher, excepting plates 61…

1731 –1738

#12877

A natural history of birds. Illustrated with two hundred and five copper plates, curiously engraven from the life. Published by the author Eleazar Albin, and carefully colour'd by his daughter and self, from the originals, drawn from the live birds. 3 vols.

This was the first English bird book issued with hand-colored plates, colored by Albin and his daughter Elizabeth. "For the most part Albin delineated one bird per plate. The birds are placed on a branch or on the gro…

1733

#395

Osteographia, or the anatomy of the bones.

This splendidly designed and illustrated work contained full and accurate descriptions of all the human bones, as well as many of animals. Cheselden is the first person to have used the camera obscura to gain precisio…

1733

#9361

Opere fisico-mediche stampate e manoscritte del kavalier Antonio Vallisneri; raccolte da Antonio suo Figliuolo, corredate d'una prefazione in genere sopra tutte, e d'una in particolare sopra il vocabolario della storia naturale. 3 vols.

Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.

1734 –1742

#304

Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire des insectes. 6 vols.

Réaumur’s greatest work describes the appearance, habits and locality of all the known insects except the beetles, and includes 267 plates. Posthumously published: Tome VII: Histoire des fourmis, (Paris: Paul Lecheval…

1734 –1765

#7485

Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descriptio et iconibus artificiosissmis expressio per universam physices historiam. 4 vols.

With 4 folio volumes this is probably the most elaborate catalogue of a private natural history museum, wunderkammer, or cabinet of curiosities ever published. The text is printed in Latin and Dutch. The work includes…

1735

#99

Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis.

In Systema naturae Linnaeus developed the first logical and modern classifications of plants, animals and minerals. Its most valuable feature, the binomial nomenclature (genus and species), was probably devised in the…

1737 –1747

#399

Tabulae sceleti et musculorum corporis humani.

The splendid series of 40 large copperplates of the bones and muscles in this work were drawn and engraved by Jan Wandelaar (1690-1759). They established a newstandard in anatomical illustration, and remain unsurpasse…

1737 –1738

#7472

Bybel der Natuure door Jan Swammerdam, Amsteldammer...Biblia naturae; sive historia insectorum, in classes certas redacta, nec non exemplis, et anatomico variorum animalculorum examine, aeneisque tabulis illustrata. Insertis numerosis rariorum naturae observationibus. Omnia lingua Batava, auctori vernacula, conscripta. Accedit praefatio, in qu vitam auctoris descripsit Hermannus Boerhaave... Latinam versionem adscriptsit Hieronimus David Gaubius. 2 vols.

Swammerdam's extensive collection of microscopical observations on insects was written in Dutch, and edited for publication 57 years after Swammerdam's death, with an extensive life of the author, by Herman Boerhaave.…

1738

#7112

Ichthyologia sive opera omnia de Piscibus....omnia in hoc genere perfectiora, quam antea ulla. Posthuma vindicavit, recognovit, coaptavit & edidit Carolus Linnaeus.

After Artedi's mysterious and premature death by drowning at the age of 30 Linnaeus raised money to pay off Artedi's creditors and obtained his papers. These he published in the present five part work. The five parts …

1740 –1761

#9561

Die monatlich-herausgegeben Insecten-Belustigung. 4 vols.

Spectacular hand-colored plates."Insecten-Belustigung, appeared in 1740 and was devoted to the insects and other invertebrates like the sea anemones. His classification of the insects followed a natural system and he …

1741

#395.2

Tabulae anatomicae.

27 anatomical copperplates after drawings by the most influential painter of the Italian Baroque movement, who also excelled as an architect. The editor, Cajetano Petrioli, supplied the text and small numbered anatomi…

1742

#11741

Index testarum conchyliorum quae adservantur in Museo Nicolai Gualtieri ... et methodice distributae exhibentur tabulae CX.

The beautiful catalogue of the shell collection formed by Gualtieri, physician to Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany in his "museum." Many of the shells are depicted standing on their apices, and are depicted from two …

1743

#306

An attempt towards a natural history of the polype.

1744

#307

Mémoires, pour servir à l’histoire d’un genre de polypes d’eau douce, à bras en forme de cornes.

Trembley discovered the hydra and was the first to observe in it asexual reproduction, regeneration, and photosensitivity in an animal without eyes. His experiments were of great importance in the study of regeneratio…

1744

#10814

The art of preserving health: A poem.

John Armstrong was the brother of George Armstrong. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link. The edition consisted of 1250 of which 50 were on "fine paper."

1745

#308

Traité d’insectologie.

This pioneering work on experimental entomology incorporates Bonnet’s most important discovery–parthenogenetic reproduction–based on his study of aphids. Bonnet used the result of this and other discoveries as a basis…

1745

#398

Essai d’anatomie en tableaux imprimés, qui represent au naturel tous les muscles de la face, du col, de la tête, de la langue & du larinx. d'après les parties disséquées & préparées par Monsieur Duverney....comprenant hit grandes planches.

Remarkable for its striking mezzotints printed in color. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1746

#9570

Of birds of passage.

Catesby was one of the first ornithologists to study bird migration. Digital facsimile from the Royal Society at this link.

1749 –1789

#324

Histoire naturelle générale et particulière…. 44 vols., plus atlas.

This vast work is divided into seven parts. I: Histoire naturelle générale et particulière…15 vols., by Buffon and L.J.M. Daubenton (1749-67). II: Histoire naturelle des oiseaux. 9 vols., by Buffon, P. Guéneau de Mont…

1751

#6268

An essay towards a complete new system of midwifery, theoretical and practical.

Burton was the first to suggest that puerperal fever is contagious, and the first to give a detailed discussion of Caesarean section. Laurence Steme satirized him as “Dr. Slop” in The life and opinions of Tristram Sha…

1754

#6154.1

A sett [sic] of anatomical tables, with explanations, and an abridgment, of the practice of midwifery…

The celebrated atlas for No. 6154, which is a complete work in itself. The 39 superb engravings include 26 after drawings by Jan van Rymsdyk, which are preserved in the Hunterian Collection at the University of Glasgo…

1754

#7678

The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants, particulary the forest trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors. Together with their descriptions in English and French. To which are added, observations on the air, soil, and waters with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. To the whole is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of / by the late Mark Catesby; revised by Mr. [George] Edwards. 2 vols.

Second edition, edited by ornithologist George Edwards. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

1754 –1764

#9558

Hans Maj:ts Adolf Frideriks vår allernådigste konungs naturalie samling innehållande sällsynte och främmande djur, som bevaras på kongl. lust-slottet Ulriksdahl beskrefne och afrit. Museum Adolfi Friderici ... in quo animalia rariora imprimis, et exotica: Quadrupedia, aves, amphibia, pisces, insecta, vermis. Vol. 2: Museum S:ae R:ae M:tis Adolphi Friderici Regis Svecorum, Gothorum, Vandalorumque &c. &c. &c. in quo Animalia rariora imprimis & exotica: Aves, Amphibia, Piscis describuntur. Tomi secundi Prodromus.

Linnaeus's study of the royal natural history collections was important because to a considerable extent they formed the basis for his knowledge of animals. The collections contain many type specimens for animals desc…

1754

#12979

Museum ichthyologicum sistens piscium indigenorum et quorundam exoticorum, qui in museo Laurentii Theodori Gronovii adservantur: Descriptiones ordine systematico; accedunt nonnullorum exoticorum piscium icones aeri incisae.

Gronovius described over 200 species of fish. He is also credited with developing a technique for preservation of fish skins. Today, a number of his fish skins are preserved in the Natural History Museum, London. Digi…

1754

#13783

Poissons, écrevisses et crabes, de diverse couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l'on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes....

"This extraordinary work purports to show marine life from the seas around Indonesia at a time when the natural wildlife of that area was virtually unknown in Europe. Renard, both a publisher and a spy for the British…

1755

#12706

An essay towards the natural history of the corallines, and other marine productions of the like kind, commonly found on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. To which is added the description of a large marine polype taken near the North Pole, by the whale-fishers, in the summer 1753.

The first work to state the animal nature of corals, which had previously been regarded as marine plants. It has been asserted that although unsigned, some of the plates are after drawings by Ehret. Digital facsimile …

1757

#11525

Histoire naturelle du Sénégal. Coquillages. Avec la relation abrégée d'un voyage fait en ce pays, pendant les années 1749, 50, 51, 52 & 53.

Adanson's voyage and explorations in Senegal, including the Island of Goree and the River Senegal. The second part is a general survey of the living mollusks he found in Senegal. His classification of mollusks was ori…

1758

#9562

Historia naturalis ranarum nostratium in qua omnes earum proprietates, praesertim quae ad generationem ipsarum pertinent, fusius enarrantur.

Text in Latin and German. Includes the life cycle of all species of frogs found in Germany. Spectacular hand-colored plates. Digital facsimile from Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg at this link.

1758 –1759

#11880

Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. 2 vols.

In the 10th edition of his Systema naturae, Linnaeus introduced binomial nomenclature for animals. He had previously introduced binomial nomenclature for plants in his Species Plantarum (1753). In this edition Linnaeu…

1760

#13143

Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés: a laquelle on a joint une description exacte de chaque espece, avec les citations des auteurs qui en ont traité, les noms quils leur ont donnés, ceux que leur ont donnés les différentes nations, & les noms vulgaires. 6 vols.

Title pages in both French and Latin. One of the earliest systematic treatises on birds by a contemporary of Linnaeus. The work treats 1336 species of which Brisson claimed to recognize more than 800 by sight. The pla…

1762

#305

Traité anatomique de la chénille, qui ronge le bois de saule. Augmenté d'une explication abrégée des planches, et d'une description de l'instrument et des outils dont l'auteur s'est servi pour anatomiser à la loupe et au microscope, & pour déterminer la forcer de ses verres, suivant les règles de l'optique, & méchaniquement.

Lyonet’s monograph on the goat moth caterpillar remains a famous example of anatomical examination. It is also a thorough treatise on the microscope and lenses that Lyonet used. Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Her…

1762

#65

Opere. 7 vols.

Redi was a leading physician in Italy. He is best remembered for his experiments discrediting the theory of spontaneous generation and for his pioneer work in the field of parasitology (see No. 2448.1); see also the a…

1764

#9509

An essay on the more common West-India diseases and the remedies which that country itself produces: To which are added some hints on the management, &c. of negroes.

Though the title suggests tropical medicine in general, this work mainly concerns the selection and medical care of slaves. Digital facsimile of the second edition (Edinburgh, 1802) expanded "with practical notes and …