MONRO, Alexander (secundus).
Observations Anatomical and Physiological, wherein Dr. Hunter’s claim to some discoveries is examined.
Edinburgh: Printed by Hamilton, Balfour & Neill, August 1758
8vo, 2 leaves, 80 pages, and 2 engraved plates. Upper margin cut close to a few page numbers, inoffensive library stamp on a text leaf and one plate. Modern boards.
SOLE EDITION. “In 1752 John Hunter, working on behalf of William, injected the semeniferous tubules in a human testis connecting with the epididymus, a procedure which he acknowledged Henry Watson had shown him in a dissection. Alexander Monro secundus, who came to hear about Hunter’s unpublished work, claimed priority for a similar preparation in a publication of 1755, though priority rested with Albrecht von Haller (1745). Monro’s 1755 Edinburgh thesis also claimed the discovery that lymphatics were absorbents. Joseph Black, who saw the draft thesis, told Monro that he must remove the claim as Hunter had been teaching that view since 1746. Monro clung to priority. He further claimed the discovery of the ducts from the lachrymal gland to the human eye that Hunter had demonstrated in 1747” (ODNB article on William Hunter). Taylor, The Monro collection, A27, “This interesting paper…”.
RESERVED
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