Rare second edition, in the original French, of a series of treatises on pharmacology and related subjects. The present edition has several appendices, including letters in response to the first edition and replies by the author, the latest dated 24 September 1681. After the title-page (with an "Avertissement" on the back), the author's 5-page dedication and a 36-page preface, the main text is in two parts. Part 1 contains a preliminary "discours" and three numbered subdivisions (also called parts), followed by Massard's French translation of Hippocrates, De prisca medicina. Part 2, with its own preface, XII chapters and IX articles, is followed by a "Traité des abus de la medecine ordinaire" (with its own preface and XIII chapters), an "Avis de Van-Helmont" (with its own preface), "Moyens de prevenir les abus de la medecine", and a royal approbation dated 7 June 1680. Finally come the appendices: a letter by De Blegny (3 August 1681), an extract from the Journal de Medecine of August 1681, Massard's response to De Blegny (20 August 1681), De Blegny's response to Massard (n.d.) and Massard's response (24 September 1681). The book closes with a Discours sur l'etablissement de l'Academie des nouvelles decouvertes de Medecine and a detailed table of contents
With early owner's inscription, library stamps and bookplate. There is some underlining and a few reader's marks in the margins. The title-page is slightly worn, the foot margin of several leaves has been cut off with no loss of text, but the book remains in good condition. The binding is worn. BMN I, p. 74; Krivatsy 7531 note; NCC (1 copy); STCN (1 copy); WorldCat (5 copies); not in Garrison & Morton; Wellcome.