Description

A phenomenal work, including numerous statistical studies and tens of thousands of case studies. Comprising Volume I: Medical (Parts I, II and III) and Volume II: Surgical (Parts I, II and III), and weighing in at 60 pounds. Widely considered the first comprehensive American medical book, as well as being the first significant government subsidy for such a work and among the first medical books to be heavily illustrated, in this case with lithographs and chromolithographs as well as drawings. As the volumes were originally issued over the course of 18 years, sets now are nearly always a mix of First and Second Issues, as is the case here.
Overall a very good set, issued without dust jackets, though a fair amount of wear is inevitable with volumes of this size and age. All volumes have some wear & fraying at the edges & corners and slightly faded spines, as well as one or two owners’ names on the front endpapers, and most have weakened hinges. Remarkably, there is very little browning or foxing. Vol. I, Pt. I: heavy edge wear, rear cover soiled, spine rubbed, rear hinge partly split, leaves slightly browned in margins; Vol. I, Pt. II: rear hinge split at spine head, corners bumped, small scorch marks at margin in front matter & on front paste-down; Vol. I, Pt. III: covers a bit soiled, light stain on rear endpapers; Vol. II, Pt. I: covers scraped, front & rear endpapers soiled; Vol. II, Pt. II: covers a bit scraped, rear cover slightly soiled, endpapers foxed; Vol. II, Pt. III: corners bumped, covers lightly scraped, front cover has 3 faint dampstains, spine scraped, front hinge split, rear hinge going. Else fine.