PETIT, Jean Louis.

London: Printed for T. Woodward… 1726

8vo, pp. xvi, 490, (6), numerous woodcuts in the text. Two short wormtracks in endpapers and first and last few leaves not touching the text. Contemporary panelled calf (ends of spine and tips of corners neatly repaired), spine gilt in compartments, red morocco label, a nice copy. Signature of John Courand(?) 1750–1 at top of title, several signatures of Thomas Sperry dated 1794 and 1795 on endpapers.

FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH. See G&M 4300 (first edition, in French, of 1705). This substantial book is the first important work on the diseases and injuries of bones and joints. It had a profound influence on orthopaedic surgery of the eighteenth century, and included the first description of osteomalacia. It was the only book Petit published during his lifetime. This anonymous translation was made from the enlarged French edition of 1723, and is very scarce.

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