Gross’ Bayle and Hollard, General Anatomy, 1828

A Manual of General Anatomy, Containing a Concise Description of the Elementary Tissues of the Human Body. From the French of A. L. J. Bayle and H. Hollard. By S. D. Gross, M. D. Philadelphia: John Grigg, No. 9, North Fourth Street. 1828.
 
Full brown leather with title plate and gold bands on spine. Gold dentelles on fore-edges of boards. Variably scuffed and stained boards. Mild shelf wear. Interior hinges cracking, though external hinges completely intact. Pencil markings on ffep. Top of title page trimmed, though prior 19th century ink inscription still partially present and reads, “by the Author.” Top right corner torn pg vii (far from text), mild damp stain from ffep disappearing by page 13. Bottom margin 139 – 142, & 147/148 trimmed slightly smaller than rest of text block, damp stain at upper and lower outer corners from 135 to end (increasing in severity toward end, beginning to involve text by pg 209. Variably foxed (moderate to severe at end papers, mild to moderate in text. Margins well retained. Paper bright. Binding tight. Text unmarked.
In volume two of his autobiography, Samuel Gross states that he presented William E Horner (a famous American anatomist) with a copy of this book. In light of the remaining “by the author” inscription, one can’t help but wonder if this was the one presented to Horner.
 
2 blanks, title, 1 pg advertisements, 2 pgs acknowledgements, 1 pg errata, vii – x (index), 2-7 introduction, 9 – 272 text, 2 blanks.
 
Measures: 8 ¾ x 5 ½ x 1 1/8 inches.
 
Samuel Gross (1805 – 1884) was the most famous surgeon in the USA in his day. He published a celebrated work titled A System of Surgery (1859, G-M 5607) which went through many editions. It remains a classic. He published the second book on pathological anatomy (1839, G-M 2292) to be published in America, and was the first exhaustive treatment of the subject in the English language. He was Professor of General Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathological Anatomy at Cincinnati Medical College. He also published the first systematic study of foreign bodies in air passages (G-M 3264), the first American treatise on orthopedics (G-M 4316.1, which he comments on in his autobiography), and an important work on autopsy findings in strangulation, and provided guidelines for medical examiners investigating strangulation cases (G-M 1737). Gross was also a robust medical historian. His autobiography is a treasury of 19th century American medicine and surgery. This translation of Bayle and Hollard was his first publication.
 
“Bayle was a most distinguished physician and pathologist. His classic description of dementia paralytica, the first clear delineation, led to the eponym “Bayle’s disease.” (G-M 4795).