8vo. in fours. 308 leaves: a
4, b
2, A-Z, 2A-AZ, 3A-3Z, 4A
4, 4B
2, A-D
4, [ ]
4, 7 full-page plates, 6 of which are by F. Kearny after J. Bell, numerous woodcut illustrations in the text. The text ends on 3Z
3, and is followed by An Appendix ending on 4B
1 verso. 4B
2 has
Collins and Perkins advertisements, the recto being occupied with the announcement of
their edition of
The Anatomy of the Human Body, Illustrated with One Hundred and Twenty-Five Engravings. In Four Volumes, bound in Two. By
John & Charles Bell . . .
Signature A begins a
Catalogue of Books; in Medicine, Surgery, Anatomy, Physiology, the Veterinary Art, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Botany, and in other
branches of Natural History for sale by
Collins & Perkins
, pp. 1-23. The last four leaves are concerned with
Mitchell and Millar’s Repository & Review
.
Not in Sabin.
Surgeon General’s Library Catalogue I, i, 853.
Purchased from Collins & Perkins in 1809.
On February 25, 1809, immediately before his retirement from the Presidency, Jefferson, writing from Washington, ordered a
copy from the publishers: “
Th: Jefferson asks the favor of Mess
rs. Collins & Perkins to send him a copy of Smith’s abridgment of John Bell’s Principles of Surgery. if sent by the mail it
will reach this place before Th: J. leaves it. he incloses the price announced in a bank bill of this place, the only means
of making so small a remittance.
”
Collins & Perkins replied from New York, 3
rd mo. 1
st 1809: “We are this morning favoured with thy letter inclosing five dollars, and requesting us to send thee
Smiths Abridgement of
John Bell’s Principles of Surgery. We are under a little embarrassment how to act, in consequence of that work not having yet been published--and will not
for some months. We, however, conclude to place thy name on the list of Subscribers; and, unless otherwise directed by thee,
will retain the money remitted for the copy, which shall be sent as soon as it is published.”
Several years previously, on July 15, 1806, in a letter to Thomas Ewell of Georgetown (see no. 833) Jefferson wrote: “
I subscribe with pleasure to Bell’s chirurgery, which is one of the most valuable books a family can possess . . .”
John Bell’s Surgery, $
3.50, is one of the titles on
March’s bill, Georgetown, February 2, 1807.
John Bell, 1763-1820, Scottish surgeon.
The Principles of Surgery was originally published in Edinburgh in three volumes, quarto, 1801-1808.
John Augustine Smith, 1782-1865, physician and College President, was a native of Westmoreland County, Virginia. In 1814 he was appointed President
of William and Mary College, and in 1824, on account of the decreasing number of students, proposed to remove the college
to Richmond. This plan failed owing to the opposition of Thomas Jefferson and his interest in the establishment of the State
University (Central College, now the University of Virginia), at Charlottesville.
[858]
6
Cooper’s first lines of the practice of Surgery.
8
vo.
1815 Catalogue, page 37. no. 4, as above.
COOPER,
Samuel.
The First Lines of the Practice of Surgery: being an elementary work for Students, and a concise book of reference for Practitioners.
Part I. General Surgical Subjects. Part II. Particular Surgical Subjects. With Nine Plates. By Samuel Cooper . . .
Philadelphia: Printed for
F. Nichols, by
Thomas and George Palmer,
1808.
RD31 .C8
First American Edition. 8vo. in fours. 247 leaves, 9 numbered plates.
Not in Sabin.
Surgeon General’s Library Catalogue II, iii, 908.
Jefferson’s copy was bound by Joseph Milligan on May 7, 1808, cost $2.75.
Samuel Cooper, 1780-1848, English surgeon and writer. The first edition of
The First Lines was published in 1807 and was frequently reprinted. The author later served on the field of Waterloo.
[859]
