Traite de la Lithotomie ou De Extraction De La Pierre Hors La Vessie, Avec les Figures (A Treatise of Lithotomy: or, of the extraction of the stone out of the bladder)

Paris: Chez l'Autheur, Faux S. Germain, proche la Charite, rue Jacob, aux trois Vertus, 1686. Leather_bound. Very Good. 18mo. in original full light tan calf lined in gilt, hubbed spine, compartments ornately decorated in gilt and with gilt lettered leather spine label. Silk marker ribbon. All edges marbled, marbled endpapers. Text in French. The third edition. 249 pp. + "Addition", (1) "Approbation Des Docteurs en Medecine; (4) Table Des Chapitres and Extrait du Privilege du Roi. Decorated head and tail pieces. Nineteen full page engraved plates and two small drawings in the text. The engravings depict types and sizes of kidney stones, instruments, insrument insertion through the penis, the tables and chairs used during the procedure, holding down and steadying of the patient (in this case a child) before and during the procedure, various incisions, etc. Overall very good, some rounding to the tips and shallow loss to the spine ends; the front cover, which had at one time detached, has been professionally restored. Interior is clean and generally without foxing. An important early medical treatise on the removal of kidney stones. In the 17th century (this work first appeared in 1683) as described and illustrated in this book, there were two methods of removing stones--by the use of an instrument inserted through the penis or by way of small incisions beneath the scrotum. Of particuar interest are the 19 full page engravings; one shows several sizes adn shapes of stones, two show the array of surgical instuments available to the 17th century physician tasked with performing the procedure, tables and chairs used; the holding of the patient by an assistant; the exact places and sizes of the incisions.