Palestra Farmaceutica, Chimico-Galenica ....

Madrid: Joachin Ibarra, 1778. Later Edition.. Original limp vellum.. Good; binding worn, spine abraded and torn; some overall spotting and occasional marginal stain; front hinge just holding; unsophisticated; first 4 leaves with some rumpling along part of the fore-edge.. Folio, [12], [1] - 736 pp. + 5 plates

An uncommon book - as are all printings of this title (according to the Neville catalog). When it appeared in 1706 it was the first book on the subject in the Spanish language. The author, Palacios (1678-1737), was court physician in Spain and a member of the Regia Soc. Medico-Chymica of Seville. The book is divided into six parts: I - deals with pharmacy in general; II-III - the composition and preparations of medicines; IV - substances prepared by distillation; V - various chemical processes used to prepare medical substances; VI - sources of medical compounds animal, mineral, and vegetable. Neville comments that the illustrations are "outstanding". Neville II, p. 250 (citing 1763); Duveen (citing a printing of 1716) pp. 445-446; Palau #209403; no editions in Bolton, Osler, and Schelenz.