SAGE, Balthazar Georges.

Expériences propres à faire connoître que l'Alkali Volatil-Fluor est le Remède le plus efficace dans les Asphyxies; avec des Remarques sur les Effets avantageux qu'il produit dans la Morsure de la Vipère, dans la Rage, la Brûlure, l'Apoplexie, &c.

1 p.l., vii, [2], 62 pp. 8vo, later marbled boards. Paris: l’Imprimerie Royale, 1777.

First Paris edition, published in the same year as the first edition (issued at Nancy and very rare). This is a monograph on the chemical properties of sal volatile, prepared from sal ammoniac and slaked lime, and its uses in cases of asphyxiation and other accidents. It begins with the description of the experiment performed by Lavoisier at the Académie des Sciences, in which he demonstrated the asphyxiating power of carbon dioxide on a bird, which was then revived by Sage using volatile alkali fluid (ammonium carbonate), a preparation later known as “smelling salts.” The Lieutenant-General of Police ordered a large number of copies to be printed for the welfare of the public.

Very good copy.

❧ Cole 1145. Neville II, pp. 413–414–(describing this as the first edition).

Price: $950.00

Item ID: 2312