Judging By Appearances Porta, Giovanni Battista Della (1535?-1615). De humana physiognomonia libri III. , Naples, 1586. The practice of attempting to discern personality traits from physical appearance goes back to antiquity. In fact, it was Aristotle who coined the term, “physiognomy” to support his own writings and inclinations on the subject. Since that time andContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

A Withering Glance at Foxglove Withering, William (1741-1799). An Account of the foxglove, and some of its medical uses, Birmingham, 1785. William Withering was a keen observer of plants and their medicinal uses and had already published a widely respected and comprehensive treatise on “Botanical Arrangement of all the vegetables” when this, his most famousContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

The Gravid Uterus William Hunter (1718-1783). Anatomia uteri humani gravidi tabulis illustrate. . . the anatomy of the human gravid uterus exhibited in figures. John Baskerville, Birmingham, 1774. William Hunter, born in Scotland, was a London physician and obstetrician whose principal interest was in anatomy. Upon becoming professor of anatomy of the Society of NavyContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

Changing Medicine in a Heartbeat Réné Laënnec (1781-1826). Traité de l’Auscultation Médiate , Paris, 1819. The stethoscope is so familiar an object, it is somewhat surprising that it did not arrive on the scene until 1816. In fact, if it had not been for a fear of breaching 19th century etiquette, we might have hadContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

The Foundation of Immunology Edward Jenner (1749-1823). An inquiry into the causes and effects of the variolae vaccinae, a disease…known by the name of the cow pox. London, Printed for the author by S. Low, 1798. On the basis of an old country tradition that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox (a relatively mild disease) wereContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

“The Most Ingenious Book that I Ever Read in My Life” – Samuel Pepys Robert Hooke (1635-1703). Micrographia: or, Some physiological descriptions of minute bodies made by magnifying glasses. London: J. Martyn and J. Allestry, 1665. In 1665, Robert Hooke completed one of the most remarkable books of the last four centuries: a collection ofContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

An “Arsenal of Surgery” Johannes Scultetus (1595-1645). Armamentarium chirurgicum. Ulm: Typis& impenis Balthasari Kühnen, 1655. When Johannes Scultetus’s Armamentarium Chirurgicum (“Arsenal of Surgery”) was published, it was hailed as the first treatise on surgery to reflect the newfound rationalism of the 17th Century. While older authors had provided illustrated works on simple operations and devicesContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”

Eye Surgery in the 16th Century George Bartisch (1535-ca. 1607). Ophthalmodouleia; das is, Augendienst. [Dresen: Matthes Stoeckel], 1583. [28] 274 [83] ll., illus., port. The mere thought of eye surgery without benefit of modern anesthesia is enough to evoke severe shuddering. Yet, for hundreds of years, various operations were performed on the eyes in thisContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room”