The Treatment of Infections

TAKEBE, Yū 武部游.

Happō danō kō 發泡打膿考 [Study of Drainage from Western Medicine].

1818. Seven full-page woodcuts & a few smaller text illus. 49 folding leaves. 8vo, orig. semi-stiff wrappers, orig. block-printed title label on upper cover, modern stitching. Wakayama 若山: Kasedaya Hiemon 綛田屋丕右衞門 et al., 1818.

First edition of Takebe’s translation of and commentary on Lorenz Heister’s important writings on infections and their treatment. Heister (1683-1758), wrote one of the best and most complete works on surgery of the 18th century. Translated into Japanese, it was enormously successful, introducing Western methods to many Japanese surgeons.

Takebe (1782-1842), a samurai, has included here all of Heister’s writings on infections and has provided a number of his own case histories. Many pharmaceutical recipes are described, some including aloe (the plant is illustrated on two pages). Methods of lancing are illustrated along with Western surgical instruments.

Very nice copy, preserved in a chitsu. Minor worming, carefully repaired.

Price: $3,500.00

Item ID: 10714