Title: Les Oeuvres d'Ambroise Pare, 1664. The 12th Edition of Pare’s Collected Works, with Hundreds of Woodcuts Showing Monstrous Creatures, Anatomical Views, Surgical Procedures, Tools, Deformities, and Much More
Author: Ambroise Paré
Publisher: A Lyon, Chez Iean Gregoire
Condition: Fair
A mid 17th century edition of the complete work of Ambroise Pare, the celebrated French barber surgeon of the 16th century.
A rather monumental compendium drawing from all of his prior works, notes, and experiences, the text covers a dizzying range of topics from anatomy, disease, battle wounds, childbirth, surgical tools, deformities, monstrous creatures, and much more.
There are hundreds of woodcuts throughout, with quite a few full page examples, from various species of animals, real or imaginary and on the monstrous side, anatomical views and details, as well as surgical and auscultation instruments, operations, more or less plausible parasites, prostheses, fetuses in utero, deformed figures or mythical monsters in general, and much, much more. Some of the woodcuts are copies after famous artists, including a large engraving after Durer’s Rhinoceros.
A French barber surgeon who served for Kings Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III, Paré has been considered to be one of the fathers of surgery and modern forensic pathology, as well as a pioneer in surgical techniques and battlefield medicine, especially in the treatment of wounds. He was also an anatomist, additionally inventing several surgical instruments, and was a member of the Parisian barber surgeon guild.
From reintroducing the ligature of arteries, making significant advancements in the progress of obstetrics, debunking the cure-all properties of bezoar stones and more, Paré’s work and writings contributed greatly to the medical world, and he also wrote extensively on forensics and prostheses as well. The first collected edition of his works were printed in 1575, and numerous editions followed shortly after.
There is an ownership inscription to the front flyleaf for one Gedeonis Mulier(?).
One finely bound volume in folio (16)+852+(74) pages
This volume is in fair shape, with rubbing and wear to the binding, the hinges split, and leather loss to the corners. There are very slight wormholes from the endpaper to the title page. At least one leaf has a small hole to the lower right corner, obscuring text and imagery. There is foxing and soiling throughout.