BEVERWIJCK, Johan van.
Heel-konste, ofte derde deel van de genees-konste, om de uytwendige gebreken te heelen.
Dordrecht, Hendrick van Esch for Pieter Looymans and Maerten de Bot, 1645. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. Finely engraved architectural frontispiece, 8 half-page and 11 full-page engravings on integral leaves, 1 with an emblematic image of Fortuna in the preface, 5 illustrating herbs and other plants with botanical details (2 appear in views of Marseille and the city of Orange in Provence, and another includes a view of Cairo at the head) and 13 human anatomical views, including the vascular system and the musculature, woodcut initials.
(2) IDEM. Lof der medicine, ofte genees-konste.
Dordrecht, [Hendrick van Esch for Jasper Gorrisz., 1644]. 8vo. With Van Eschs woodcut device on the title-page.
Contemporary vellum, early manuscript title on spine, red edges. [44], 487, [7]; 152 pp.
€ 1,950
Ad 1: First edition of one of the famous medical works in the vernacular by Jan or Johan van Beverwijck, in Latin Beverovicus, (1594-1647): a most practical manual on surgery, starting with a discourse on the history, value, and necessity of surgery: "Lof de chirurgie; ofte gespreck over de weerdigheyt, oudtheyt, ende nootsakelickheyt van de Heelkunde" ([4], 28 pp.), including a 2-page laudatory poem by Jacob Cats; followed by the first "book", on the properties and manner of preparation of a large number of healing plants and fruits: "Het eerste boeck. Van de Heel-middelen" (pp. 29-171), and the second "book", discussing external ailments: "Het tweede boeck. Van de uyt-wendige deelen, ende daer op, ende in komende vlacken, bleynen, puysten, wonden, sweren, ende zeeren" (pp. 173-487).
Ad 2: Second edition of the Dutch translation of Van Beverwijcks Medicinae encomium (first Latin edition: Dordrecht 1633), in praise of medicine, with a laudatory poem by Dr. Willem Nyssen, together with a confutation of the complaint against the necessity of medicine in Montaigne's Essays: "Bergh-val, ofte wederlegginge van Michiel de Montagne, tegens de nootsakelickheyt der genees-konste" (pp. 35-152), dedicated to his colleague Dr. Cornelis van Someren who contributed a laudatory poem.
Van Beverwijck was one of the few Dutch physicians enjoying international fame at this time. He introduced William Harveys revolutionary ideas on blood circulation, published in 1628, to continental Europe.
With an owner's inscription on an endleaf: Ferdinandus Noordbeek (Ootmarsum, ca. 1725?), and the bookplate of Dr. A.C. de Vet. In good condition, with only the hinges slightly loose. Ad 1: E.D. Baumann, Johan van Beverwijck 20 a; Bibl. Med. Neerl. p. 290; Krivatsy 1199. Ad 2: Baumann 19a (bound with Schat der Ongesontheyt); Bibl. Med. Neerl. p. 1; Krivatsy 1202; cf. Bibl. Walleriana 1013 (1730 French ed.); Wellcome p. 159 (1730 French ed.). Cf. L. van Gemert, "Johan van Beverwijck als 'instituut'", in: De zeventiende eeuw, 8/1 (1992), pp. 99-106.
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