VETCH, John.

London: Printed for the author, and sold by Burgess and Hill… .1820

8vo, 2 leaves, pp. (vii)–x, (ii), 267, (1), 3 hand-coloured stipple-engraved plates. The first leaf excised, with the stub remaining (see below). Some very light foxing in the first few leaves, large library stamp at foot of title and (faintly) on p. 45, otherwise a clean copy. Nineteenth century blue half calf and cloth sides, the calf rubbed in places, spine ruled in gilt with brown morocco label and small paper shelf label. Early signature of James B. Simmonds on front free endpaper, and a few marginal notes probably in his hand.

FIRST EDITION. Vetch’s textbook concentrates on the ophthalmias, with thorough descriptions of the transmission, symtoms and treatment of trachoma, his speciality. Hirschberg notes that Vetch in this book introduced the placement of a suture through the base of a staphyloma, a procedure which the great Albrecht von Graefe later endorsed. Albert, Norton & Hurtes 2378. Becker catalogue 390. The first leaf in this copy has been deliberately excised, as in one other copy noted (Jeremy Norman, Catalogue 24, item 292).

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