[History of Science] M. Malpighius. Sermo habitus Bononiae …

Bononiae: G. Luchesinii, 1810. First and only edition of Testa's scarce address on Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694.) The Italian biologist and physician founded the science of microscopic anatomy and allowed for great advances in physiology and embryology. 45 pp. Latin text. Original binding of one-quarter leather and marbled boards. 21 x 14 cm. Sound and complete. Wear at the head of the spine and along the joints. Moderate foxing of the text. Provenance: Brief ink notations dated 1811 indicate this copy was presented by Testa (Italian physician, 1756-1814), but we're unsure whether some or all of the writing is in his hand. Later ownership signature in pencil of Howard B. Adelmann (1898-1988), American zoologist, embryologist, and historian of science who taught at Cornell from 1921-1963. He wrote the authoritative five-volume work, Marcello Malpighi and the Evolution of Embryology (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1966.)