A Treatise on the Effects and Various Preparations of Lead, Particularly of the Extract of Saturn, for Different Chirurgical Disorders; The Third Edition, With Additions; and a Table exhibiting the Difference between English and French Weights

  • Leather bound
  • London: Printed for P. Elmsley (Successor to Mr. Vaillant), 1772
By Mr. [Thomas] Goulard
London: Printed for P. Elmsley (Successor to Mr. Vaillant), 1772. Leather bound. Good. Duodecimo size, 233 pp. French surgeon Thomas Goulard (1697-1784) promoted the use of lead in medicine, famously with his "Goulard's extract", a mix of lead acetate and lead monoxide, for a variety of purposes and health benefits; in this book he provides recipes for the "Extract of Saturn", which, he goes on to state, "appears to be only a very simple preparation of Lead" (p. 197).

It is surprising that any medical person would promote the use of lead in any "preparation" intended to heal, as the ill-effects of lead on the human body were observed as far back as the ancient Romans; in fact, "Julius Caesar's engineer, Vitruvius, reported, 'water is much more wholesome from earthenware pipes than from lead pipes.' " (n.b., quote from Wiki)

___DESCRIPTION: Full contemporary brown leather, the spine with five raised bands and red leather label with gilt rules and lettering, fold-out table comparing English and French weights toward the back of the book, original green ribbon marker is present; duodecimo size (7" by 4.25"), pagination: [i] [1] 2-232.

___CONDITION: Volume is good, with a strong, square text block and a clean and bright interior; the leather boards show overall rubbing and some soil, corners rubbed, hinges are tender (a professional restorer re-attached the front board, name available upon request), cracked gutter at pp. 122-123, off-setting from the ribbon marker on page 75, toning to the margins of the endpapers, and vintage pencil notations to the rear paste-down, possibly from a prior bookseller.

___POSTAGE:  International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.

Details

Title

A Treatise on the Effects and Various Preparations of Lead, Particularly of the Extract of Saturn, for Different Chirurgical Disorders; The Third Edition, With Additions; and a Table exhibiting the Difference between English and French Weights

Author

Mr. [Thomas] Goulard

Binding

Leather bound

Condition

Good

Publisher

Printed for P. Elmsley (Successor to Mr. Vaillant): London

Date

1772


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