Presentation copy
Relation historique et chirurgicale de l'expedition de l'armée d'Orient, en Egypte et en Syrie
Paris: Demonville et Soeurs, an XI - 1803. First edition, 8vo, pp. 10, [errata leaf], 480; engraved frontispiece portrait and 2 engraved plates showing genital tumors associated with elephantiasis; contemporary and probably original quarter brown morocco and red pastepaper covered boards, rebacked, retaining original pastedowns and flyleaves and with black morocco label lettered in gilt on spine; negligible wear to extremities, light scattered foxing to prelims and end matter, the fore edge of the frontispiece curling, and the lower fore corner of pp. 407-408 torn away, affecting a few words; a very good copy inscribed by the author. On the half-title, Larrey has penned seven lines to an unidentified Lieutenant General; portions of the message have been damaged by a binder's over-zealous trimming and some light water spotting. "Larrey was the greatest military surgeon in history. Of him Napoleon said: 'C'est l'home le plus verteux que j'ai connu'...Larrey was one of the first to amputate at the hip-joint, the first to describe the therapeutic effect of maggots on wounds, gave the first description of 'trench foot,'...and devised several new operations" (GM 2160, in describing Larrey's Mémoires de chirurgie militaire of 1812-17). Item #23196
Price: $3,500.00
