DELPECH, [Jacques Mathieu].

Paris: Chez Gabon,... [-1830].1829

3 volumes in 2, 4to, 1 leaf (prospectus), pp. 656, 1 plate; pp. viii, 744, 3 plates; pp. 40, 3 plates. Two small stains in upper margin of one plate. Contemporary half vellum, blue morocco labels, small chip in spine of vol.2, edges a little rubbed but a nice set.

SOLE EDITION. This scarce book was a journal begun and edited by Delpech, pioneer orthopaedic and plastic surgeon. It is dedicated to publishing the accounts of clinical surgery carried out at Montpellier and other hospitals of the Midi, and abstracts of lectures by the professors there. It contains a large amount of material by Delpech himself, as well as by other contributors. Owing to the civil unrest in 1830, Delpech ceased its publication abruptly, for which he prints an apology at the end of vol. 3. Delpech was almost solely responsible for raising the status of the Montpellier school from the level to which it had sunk before his appointment as professor there in 1812.

Unsure of some of these terms? Click here to download a copy of Carter & Barker, ABC for Book Collectors (2006), which has full explanations.