MORTON, Richard.

Londini: Impensis Samuelis Smith,… .1689

8vo, pp. (xxiv), 411, 1 leaf (errata), 1 leaf (blank). Imprimatur leaf before the title, title within rules. Contemporary unlettered calf (extremities rubbed, two small chips and a wormhole in foot of spine, minor damage to lower edge of rear endpaper), a fine and clean copy. Signature of John Slinger, 1895, on inside of front board and on front endpapers.

FIRST EDITION. G&M 3216. The first important book on pulmonary tuberculosis, and the first description of anorexia nervosa (in the first chapter) with the characteristic triad of loss of appetite, amenorrhoea, and extreme wasting without lassitude. Morton’s book involved “the first application of the principles of pathology to the study of pulmonary tuberculosis. Morton showed that the formation of tubercles is a necessary part of the development of this lung disease, and pointed out that the tubercles often heal spontaneously. He noted the enlargement of the tracheal and bronchial glands in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis” (G&M). Wing M2831. Major, Classic descriptions of disease, pp. 61–63. Norman Catalogue 1555. Osler 3459. Osler, “The ‘Phthisiologia’ of Richard Morton”, in Med. Libr. and Hist. Journal, II, pp. 1–7, 1904. Hunter & Macalpine pp. 230–232.

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