DESAULT, Surgical Works, 2 vols., 1814

THE SURGICAL WORKS, OR STATEMENT OF THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF P. J. DESAULT, SURGEON IN CHIEF OF THE GREAT HOSPITAL OF HUMANITY, AT PARIS; BY XAVIER BICHAT, His Pupil, adjunct Physician of the same Hospital. IN TWO VOLUMES. DISEASES OF THE SOFT PARTS. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL, BY EDWARD DARRELL SMITH, M. D. PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY, ETC. IN THE SOUTH-CAROLINA COLLEGE PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS DOBSON, AT THE STONE HOUSE. No. 41, SOUTH SECOND STREET. William Fry, Printer. 1814. Vol 1: DISEASES OF THE SOFT PARTS Vol 2: DISEASES OF THE URINARY PASSAGES
 
Two volumes in original brown tree calf, recently rebacked. Red title labels and gold bands on spine. Boards stamped in gold “M. PRYOR” (now a bit scuffed). Corners chipped. Focal loss of leather on front board of vol 1, later patched with brown leather. End papers with old ink and pencil annotations, figures, and numbers. Signed and stamped in several places by Pryor, 1818. Also inscribed from Pryor to another individual in an early hand (name uncertain). Yellow page edges. Some mild foxing. Moderate image transfer from plates. Textblock clean and bright. Binding tight. Twelve plates (6 folding) of surgery, instruments, and pathological anatomy.
 
Vol 1: ffep, title, xiii, (2), blank, rfep; 8 plates (2 folding) throughout; Vol 2: ffep, blank, vi, (2), 308, rfep; 4 plates (all folding) gathered at end.
 
First English edition. G-M 5580 is first (French) edition in three volumes. Vol 1 was first translated and published as a separate work (on fractures) in 1805, while vols 2 and 3 were published as this publication complete unto itself. “Desault was a great French surgeon, one fo the first professors at the Ecole Pratique de Chirurgie, Paris. He made many suggestions regarding the treatment of fractures and dislocations and is one of the founders of modern vascular surgery. He was Xavier Bichat’s teacher, and Bichat edited vols. 1 & 2. Vol. 3, edited by P. J. Roux, concerns urological diseases. … Desault edited the first journal specifically on surgery.”
 
Pg 148-179 in vol 1 is an interesting chapter on harelip.