16 volumes in 8 (including atlases). 8 engraved titles, frontispiece and 724 (of 726) hand-colored lithograph plates, some folding, by Benard, Delaporte, and others after Nicolas Henri Jacob. Lacking one plate each in Volumes 3 (plate 43 bis) and 5 (plate 49), the text leaves for both lacking plates are present, the plates themselves appear to have never been bound in. (Folio) period red morocco backed mottled boards, spines gilt. First Edition.
"Without question one of the most beautifully illustrated anatomical and surgical treatises ever published in any language...Bourgery studied medicine at Paris where he interned under Laennec and Dupuytren and won gold medals for excellence from the Paris faculty of medicine and hospital administration. After ten years as health officer at Romilly, Bourgery returned to Paris to continue his career in anatomy and surgery. In addition to the present work he prepared an earlier illustrated anatomy and contributed a number of papers to the medical journals of his day. Bourgery divided his treatise into four parts which covered descriptive anatomy, surgical anatomy and techniques, general anatomy, and embryology and microscopic anatomy. Four volumes of the set are devoted to surgical anatomy and cover in detail nearly all the major operations that were performed during the first half of the nineteenth century." (Heirs of Hippocrates) The work is divided into four parts which cover descriptive anatomy, surgical anatomy and techniques, general anatomy and embryology and microscopic anatomy.
A mixed issue of the first edition. Bibliographers do not agree on the date the publication of the first edition began (Brunet gives 1830, Wellcome 1831, and Waller 1832) but all parts appear to have remained in print until at least 1854, when the series was completed. The common title in Volume 1 is dated 1840. Each volume has a separate title for the text and an engraved title for the plates. When needed parts were issued with cancel titles, and the date in the engraved title was corrected. In the present set the titles are dated as follows: Volume I: 1832/1840; II: 1852/1831; III: 1844/1844; IV: 1851/1836; V: 1839/1839; VI: 1852/1839; VII: 1840/1840; VIII: 1854/1844.
Brunet I, 1179; Waller 1372; Wellcome II, p. 214.
Condition:
Binding extremities rubbed, some wear to boards; varying foxing and browning within, heavier to text leaves than to plates, short marginal tears to a few of the folding plates; very good.