London: The author by R. Hindmarsh, 1792. Second edition. Full marbled leather with titles to spine. There is some edge wear, with 5 cm of edge loss to the base of the spine, and some loss to the front board where the leather has worn through.
Folding engraved plate with a small repair to the foot of the plate. The rest of the book is in good, slightly darkened condition. Bound to the rear is a 14 page catalogue of spectacles and other equipment.
viii, 157, [1], [14], [2], pp. 215 x 140 mm (8½ x 5½ inches). The collation is interesting. The Wellcome Foundation copy has [xi] pages to the front. Pages [ix-xi] are an advert for other works by the author. In this copy these pages are lacking. In all auction copies we have seen, these pages are also lacking, and it would seem that the publisher often did not include them. However, in this copy, there is an additional leaf to the rear, which has substantially the same information. This leaf is dated 1799. It would seem that by 1799, the publisher was still binding up the second edition, but with an updated "author's works" to the rear.

Mediolani: Ex Tipografia Joannis Pirottae, 1817. First edition of this large and important work on the structure of the urethra. Four large engraved plates by Filippo Bedetti, engraved by Carlo Dellarocca, to the rear of the book. Green softback covers with some marking to the cover. The paper on the spine has has considerable loss, but the binding is still holding well. Internally mainly clean, with a little marking, foxing and few small worm holes. Plates have light staining to the edges, but still mainly clean and tidy. A scarce item. xii, 60 pp. 460 x 330 mm (18 x 13 inches) In the beginning of the 19th century, when both vascular and cellular texture theories concerning
the penis structure were still coexisting, three figures were involved in the controversy about the priority of
the discovery of the vascular nature of human erectile tissues: Paolo Mascagni (1755-1815), represented by
his pupil Tommaso Farnese (1780-1829), and Alessandro Moreschi (1771-1826). In the Elogio del celebre
anatomico Paolo Mascagni (1816), Farnese attributed to his mentor the demonstration in 1809 of the continuity between arteries and veins and the description of venous plexuses, this term replacing the previous (and misleading) name of spongy body attributed to the inner part of penis. But in 1817 Moreschi inflamed the dispute, claiming for the priority of that discovery, with the publication of his anatomical work and a polemical essay against Farnese. Farnese promptly replied with Note addizionali del Dottore Tommaso Farnese al suo elogio di Paolo Mascagni (1818), where he reported a meeting with Moreschi in Bologna in 1810. On that occasion, Farnese explained a Mascagni's technique to perfuse urethral blood vessels that Moreschi would have plagiarized. Furthermore, Farnese also included eight testimonies claiming to have seen Mascagni performing such injections before 1810. The Prodromo della grande anatomia, a posthumous work of Mascagni edited in 1819, includes a plate dedicated to the structure of the urethra and a comprehensive view of this scientific story. In short, Mascagni developed a technique to inject urethral blood vessels, but Moreschi was the first to publish an accurate work on this subject. For this reason, many Italian and international authors have attributed to the latter the discovery of the venous circulation of the urethra.

London: Rundle & Dore, 1891. A scarce First edition of this wonderful Victorian handbook intended for the public giving simple instruction on errors of refraction, the commoner diseases, preserving eyesight, and the testing of sight. Bound in original hardback, with gilt and black decorations to the red cloth. [8], 63, [1]pp. 170 x 105 mm (6¾ x 4¼ inches). 'The Gentlewoman' a weekly illustrated newspaper for women founded in 1890, and published in London, said the following about this work: "Bearing in mind the importance of good sight and the terrible infliction blindness is, it is astounding that people of intelligence take as little care in the selection of glasses. Mr. F. J. Bluett, an Experienced Ophthalmic Optician, in his work on Defective Vision gives some useful hints on Short-sight, Long-sight, Astigmatism, &c., and indicates the best glasses to he worn in each case."

Paris: Chez Cuchet: 1783. Fairly recent French full leather binding, with gilt titles and decoration to the spine. Barthélémy Faujas de Saint-Fond (a French geologist & traveller) produced this work in 1783 as the Montgolfier brothers were conducting their experiments. This is the revised edition of the book - with a supplement and further information about the brother's experiments in June-September 1783. There is a brief supplement to the rear adding information about the flight of November 21, in which Pilâtre de Rozier, accompanied by the Marquis d'Arlandes, made the first aerial voyage in history - this last flight is often recorded in engravings as the first flight over Paris. There was a second continuation volume issued in 1784. 9 engravings (number 5 is the frontis illustration). Frontis, xl, 1-299, [vii] - 8 plates.

Paris: J. Rothschild, 1881. Avec frontispice gravé en couleur de dix pierres précieuses différentes et 346 figures gravées sur bois gravées dans le texte. Deuxième édition. Emballages originaux de l'éditeur imprimés. Dos renouvelé, avec quelques petites déchirures sur les emballages en papier, qui sont un peu travaillés et effilochés. Frontis est un peu lâche, mais tient. Quelques rousseurs, affectant parfois le texte, en particulier dans les première et dernière pages du livre. Toujours en bon état. "Un des principaux ouvrages sur les pierres précieuses en langue française à la fin du XIXe siècle" (Schuh). Écrit par le naturaliste Eduoard Jannettaz (1832-1899), l'expert diamantaire Emile Vanderheym (1833-1889), le pharmacologue et botaniste Amedee Coutance (1824-1895) et le joaillier Eugène Fontanay (1824-1887) (l'un des les plus importants bijoutiers et orfèvres de France.La première édition a également été imprimée à Paris en 1881 par Rothschild.L'ouvrage fournit des informations importantes non seulement sur les pierres précieuses, mais aussi sur la cristallographie. Le travail peut être divisé en trois parties. Le premier traite de la cristallographie en détail. Le second est plutôt une encyclopédie des pierres précieuses. La troisième partie est destinée aux bijoutiers et aux orfèvres. Le livre contient des descriptions d'objets exposés à l'Exposition universelle de Paris de 1878. Le livre se termine par un grand compte rendu sur les perles et quelques remarques sur les coraux. L'ouvrage est resté le travail standard sur les pierres précieuses jusqu'en 1914, lorsque Jean Escard a publié ses "Les Pierres Précieuses", c'est donc l'un des ouvrages les plus importants de l'histoire de la minéralogie française et des sciences de la terre. Xii, 580 pages. Sinkankas 3182, cf Schuh 2455 (1ère édition 1881, Paris) Sinkankas 3181 (1ère édition 1881, Paris). With coloured engraved frontispiece of ten different gemstones and 346 woodcut engraved in-text figures. Second edition. Original printed publisher's wrappers. Renewed spine, with some small tears to the paper wrappers, which are a little work and frayed. Frontis is a little loose, but holding. Some foxing, sometimes affecting text, especially in the first and last pages of the book. Still in sound condition.  "One of the principal works on gemstones in the french language during the late nineteenth century" (Schuh). Written by the natural scientist Eduoard Jannettaz (1832-1899), the diamond expert Emile Vanderheym (1833-1889), the pharmacologist and botanist Amedee Coutance (1824-1895), and the jeweller Eugene Fontanay (1824-1887) (One of the most important jewellers and goldsmiths in France. The first edition was also printed in Paris in 1881 by Rothschild. The work provides important information not only on gemstones, but also on crystallography. The work can be divided into three parts. The first deals with crystallography in detail. The second is more of an encyclopaedia of gemstones. The third part is for jewellers and goldsmiths. The book contains descriptions of items shown in te Paris Universal Exposition of 1878. The book ends with a large account on pearls, and some remarks on corals. The work remained the standard work on gemstones until 1914, when Jean Escard published his "Les Pierres Precieuses" so is one of the most important works in the history of French mineralogy and earth sciences. 

Paris: Béchet jeune, 1832. Half leather with marbled boards. Gilt titles to the spine. The hinges of the spine have a little cracking, but are still holding well. Marbled end papers.
This is a "First Thus" and seems to be an expanded edition. Originally published by Bechet Jeune between 1823-26, this edition was published in 1832. In addition to the 21 numbered plates, there are 5 marked biz, plus engraved title, so a total of 27 plates.
7 of the plates are hand coloured. Curiously, every copy I have seen online has 7 hand coloured plates, presumably the same ones. The plates depict poisonous snakes, plants, fungi etc.
Most of the pages are in very good condition. The title has a touch of darkening and staining to the corners. The first 12 plates have light staining (water?) to the spine edge, not affecting engraving. Tab 2 has loss to the edge (not affecting plate). 3 of the coloured engravings of mushrooms have had closed tears repaired to the rear with archival tape. Not particularly noticeable to the image.
A pioneering work on forensic medicine. The author is famous for being one of the founders of toxicology. Originally a Spanish chemist, he naturalised in France, and his treatise on poisons was published in 1814. It was in this period, that analytical chemistry provided a new method for identifying toxins.
Collation: tab 1 - 21, 1 bis, 3 bis, 4 bis, 7 bis, 11 bis these interleaved at the correct leaf.
21 cm x 13.5 cm.