1765 (Medical) Cours d'Operations de Chirurgie, Demontrees au Jardin Royal , Pierre Dionis. Well-illustrated.

A well-illustrated, complete in two volumes, 1765 edition of Cours d'Operations de Chirurgie, Demontrees au Jardin royal (Course of Surgery Operations Demonstrated at the Royal Gardens) by Pierre Dionis, professor and doctor to the royal family.

Dionis was a doctor, surgeon, birth attendant, etc. to Queen Maria Theresa of Austria, the royal household of France, the Duchess of Berry and to King Louis XIV, among others.

He also taught surgery at the King's Garden. He was early to embrace the circulation of blood, as proposed by William Harvey, and wrote a work on it. He also published several dissertations on medical topics, in addition to this work.

This work includes ten demonstrations from his work at the Royal Gardens. Each demonstration shows the tools to be used. In addition there are other plates showing the Royal Garden, Dionis teaching in a theatre, a native islander example, etc.

This addition includes the remarks and additional plates of George de la Faye, augmenting the work.

Physical Attributes -

Each volume measures approx. 20 x 13 x 3.5 cm, 8vo. Mottled calf (cat's paw) bindings of the time. Spines with five raised bands; Four compartments with a central gilt floret, dots and fillet border, and two with the title and tome in gilt (the title on red morocco). All edges washed red. Illustrated - LX (last mis-numbered LIX) figures (only several stand-alone plates, many in-line), and four additional plates at rear.

Pages: v1 - Frontis Dionis, frontis Dionis in theatre, xxxii, fold-out, 480, (1). v2 - title page, frontis, 481-920, 4 plates, (1).

Condition -

See pictures. Edge and corner wear, rubbing to boards. Some chipping at top and bottom of spines; some crazing of leather along spines. Insect hole at top of v1 spine. Endband at bottom of v2 cracked. "Lartel" written in an old-hand at the bottom of each text-block.

Ink inscription (illegible) at rear of frontis illustration. Fox spot at top of title page, and several moisture drop marks at bottom fore-edge. Occasional fox spot, and thumbing throughout, but mostly clean, with nice wide margins. V1 more toned towards rear. V1 has moisture drop (round) along mid-section of text block, at fore-edge margin (no text affected). Very small fore-edge damage (1 cm) at last 10 leaves v1. Ink note, dated 1871, on title page of v2, and also plate mounted behind title page. Moisture marks at top-edge of last several leaves v2, no text affected.

Despite notes, a clean copy that is fascinating to review in light of the many illustrations, largely of tools.