This attractive scroll begins with three large figures of the human body — front, rear, and side views — with locations of acupuncture points (red dots) and moxibustion locations (black dots). Each of the acupuncture pressure points are labeled in manuscript with their names. The moxibustion points are also labelled but with notes giving their locations. The three images are delicately painted with flesh colors and black hair. The anterior view depicts the 21 bones of the spine. Many of these are numbered with references to specific organs. Again, pressure points are displayed.

These illustrations are derived from the Ling-shu [the “Vital Axis”], a rare collection of dissertations on moxibustion and acupuncture, written in about the second century BCE, which “formed [along with the Su Wen] the theoretical basis of classical Chinese medicine…the Ling-shu…discusses mainly therapy — mostly centered on medicinal prescriptions, but also including physical therapies such as bonesetting and breathing exercises, and stimulation treatments such as acupuncture, moxibustion and massage.”–Sugimoto & Swain, Science & Culture in Traditional Japan, p. 85. More

Two full-page brush & black ink illus. of the human body, front & back, with names of pressure points. 36 folding leaves. 8vo (247 x 172), orig. wrappers (wrappers rather worn & wormed, recased), new stitching. [Japan: late Edo].

Our manuscript is arranged by section of the body from head to foot, with a listing of about 120 pressure points and their meridians, allied organs, and related illnesses. There are precise instructions on how to locate each pressure point by measurement.

At the end is a list of 45 pressure points that should not be touched, followed by two full-page images of the body, front and back... More

Mid-Edo period.

An extremely rare survival: an uncommonly tall and large wooden training mannequin, called in Japan do-ningyo (“copper doll,” even those no longer made of bronze), in very good condition. It is most unusual to have such a mannequin of a female; the male figure is usually presented. Certain motifs of the model suggest it was carved in the Chinese or Indian style.

The first examples of similar models originated in 11th-century China, where life-size human acupuncture figures were cast from bronze. “The metal walls of the figures were pierced with small holes corresponding to the principal loci for... More

142 pp. Small 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed marbled boards. Freystadt [Dresden]: “zufinden bey dem Autore,” 1690.

First edition, and very rare (no copy in North America according to WorldCat), of this pseudonymous attack by the alchemist/chemist Amelung on the Reformierter Apothecker (1688) of Janusz Abraham Gehema (1617-1715). Gehema was one of the leading proponents in Germany of the “new medicine” of the Dutch and French, which he had learned while a medical student at Leiden, Groningen, and Utrecht.

In the Reformierter Apothecker, Gehema presented his plan to reform the apothecary trade in Germany by reducing and simplifying the range of remedies to... More

17 painted scenes, using brush and colors, on 63 pages. 34; 25; 22 folding leaves. Three vols. 8vo (270 x 187 mm.), orig. wrappers, modern stitching. [Japan]: late Edo.

This handsomely illustrated manuscript, written by Tsuki Shirai, describes and illustrates the famous hot springs of Atami (“hot ocean”), which have been known and appreciated since the 8th century. Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), believed the springs of Atami were so beneficial to his health that he had quantities of the water transported to Edo.

These volumes are really a travel guide to Atami and the surrounding area. The first volume begins with an index to all three volumes... More

1 p.l., 3, [1], [v]-xx, 338 pp. 8vo, attractive antique blue morocco-backed marbled boards (title slightly browned), spine gilt. Paris: Tilliard Frères, Juin 1810.

The uncommon sale catalogue of the library of Fourcroy (1755-1809), the great chemist. The catalogue lists 2781 lots of which about 2000 are works on science and medicine. Many rare chemical books are listed. It is preceded by a biographical note including a bibliography of Fourcroy’s writings and a schedule of the sale. At the end, there is a 68-column index.

According to Peignot, the compiler of the catalogue was François Henri Stanislas de l’Aulnay (1739-1831), the author of... More

1 p.l., 109 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. Berlin: 1815.

The very rare sale catalogue — Loh, Vol. 6, p. 102, locates no copy — of the fine scientific library of Meyer (1739-1811), owner of the Hof-Apotheke in Stettin. He studied chemistry in Berlin under J.H. Pott and A.S. Marggraf, and in 1764 he went to Uppsala University, where he studied botany with Linnaeus and possibly chemistry with J.G. Wallerius. In 1780 Meyer founded a distillery in Stettin to produce French-style brandy and liqueurs according to a process that he had developed in his apothecary shop.

This library of 2227 lots was an important collection of botanical, chemical, medical, and pharmaceutical texts, including all the works of “the chemical revolution.” More

95, [1] pp. 8vo, cont. vellum over boards (lower portion of spine neatly repaired at an early date, some occasional light browning and foxing as usual with this book). Vienna: J.T. Trattner, 1761.

First edition of the first book to suggest percussion of the chest as a diagnostic measure, “one of the greatest of all medical classics.”–Heirs of Hippocrates 954. “With the introduction of percussion of the chest, which offered a new and dependable method of diagnosing diseases of the heart and lungs in living persons, Leopold Auenbrugger made the first advance in physical diagnosis since the age of Hippocrates. The son... More

viii, 285 pp. 8vo, cont. blue boards (corners & head of spine a bit worn), spine gilt. Paris: P.D. Pierres, 1781.

First edition. “This government ordered study was undertaken to determine whether tin from various sources contains arsenic in large enough amounts to make the use of vessels of tin harmful to health. Bayen and Charlard (Rouelle had been named to work with them but he died before the work began) repeated the experiments of Marggraf and added new ones. Their conclusion was that tin contained no arsenic or only minute harmless traces. In the course of the many experiments the nature... More

xlii, one leaf of errata, 274 pp.; xx, 328 pp. Two vols. 8vo, cont. polished mottled calf (small inkstain to outer lower corner of the first 30 leaves), triple gilt fillet round sides, flat spines nicely gilt, red & green morocco lettering pieces on spines. Amsterdam: M.M. Rey, 1762.

First edition and a lovely set of this important work. Bonnet (1720-93), is considered one of the fathers of modern biology. He was an enthusiastic champion of preformation, the theory postulating that the animal already existed in miniature in the germ cell, which is first stated in this work. “Bonnet’s theory of generation offered the... More

Fine medallion woodcut port. of the author on verso of title, numerous woodcut illus. in the text, one folding woodcut plate (pp. 769-70) with the woodcut volvelle unassembled on a separate slip bound-in, & one folding printed table (pp. 790-91). 16 p.l. (the last a blank), 1194 (i.e. 1204), [64] pp. Thick 8vo, cont. blind-stamped panelled pigskin over wooden boards (some light dampstaining) by Hans Bopp of Nuremberg, orig. clasps & catches. Basel: [H. Petri], 1557.

Second edition (the first edition was published earlier in the same year) of Cardano’s second great encyclopedia of natural science; it is a continuation of and supplement to his... More

Large engraved vignette on title. Title in red & black. 8 p.l., 626, [69] pp. Folio, cont. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards, arms on covers effaced. Lyon: J. & P. Prost, 1636.

First edition, Schuh’s issue B (no stated priority) with the dedication to Charles de Neufville. “Very scarce. Compendium of all the author ever discovered or read about the subject of mineralogy. It was published posthumously from notes he left by his Order at Lyon six years after his death. Printed in a double column format in a relatively small type-size, the work is a vast storehouse of all things mineralogical, including new ideas... More