THE DEDICATION COPY INSCRIBED BY FRANCIS TO DAVID HOSACK
An Inaugural Dissertation on Mercury, Embracing Its Medical History, Curative Action, and Abuse in Certain Diseases.
New York: Printed by C.S. Van Winkle, 1811.
Price: $1,500.00
About the item
First edition. viii, [9]-56 pp. Inscribed on the blank page facing the dedication. 8vo. THE DEDICATION COPY INSCRIBED BY FRANCIS TO DAVID HOSACK. Contemporary diced mottled calf, covers with a double filet and roll tool border in gilt, flat spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece, marbled endpapers and edges. Minor wear to extremities. Small inked stamp on title (Medical Society County of Kings) and bookplate on front pastedown. Austin 791; Shaw 22845; Catalogue of the Entire Medical Library of the late Doctor David Hosack, 334.
Item #321425
Submitted to the public examination of the trustees of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in the state of New-York, Samuel Bard, M.D. president, for the degree of Doctor of Medicine, on the 14th day of May, 1811. Francis was a student of David Hoosack and became his partner. He served as professor of medicine and materia medica when the College of Physicians and Surgeons
merged with the Medical Department of Columbia in 1814 and served as the second President of the New York Academy of Medicine.
After giving a concise natural and medical history of mercury, Francis reviews its various uses and effects, noting Hunter's and Bell's theories of the curative action of mercury on syphilis and including a discussion at length of its lack of efficacy against preventing yellow fever.
This example appeared as lot 334 in the 1867 auction of Hosack's library.
