Mechanik der menschlichen Gehwerkzeuge. 2 vols (text and atlas)

Weber, Wilhelm Eduard (1804-91) and Eduard F. W. Weber (1806-71). Mechanik der menschlichen Gehwerkzeuge. Text volume plus atlas. xxvi, 429pp. (text); 10pp. and 17 plates (atlas). Göttingen: Dieterichschen Buchhandlung, 1836. 202 x 120 mm. (text); 258 x 210 mm. (atlas). Later boards, spine and rear free endpaper of atlas repaired. Some foxing and offsetting in the atlas plates, library stamps and notations on titlepages of both volumes, former owner's signature and bookplate in the atlas, minor toning, but very good.

First Edition. A pioneering study of the physiology and biomechanics of human motion and locomotion. "It contains an anatomical discussion of the joints used in walking and running, measurements made on living subjects, and a mathematical theory relating to the length and duration of a step to anatomical parameters . . . Among other results, the work corrected misconceptions about posture and recommended its conclusions to the attention of artists" (Dictionary of Scientific Biography). Some of the plates in the atlas were printed from actual human bones embedded in plaster of Paris. This was a form of nature printing. Garrison-Morton.com 604.