1617 SEBISCH, Melchior The Younger (1578 – 1674)

Discursus medico-philosophicus de casu adolescentis [...]: qui [...] mortuus in quodam paternarum aedium loco, adjacente ipsi serpente, à domesticis inventus fuit.

An extensively illustrated work on death from snake bites and species of venomous snakes instigated by the sudden death from snake bite of an otherwise healthy young man. Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this…

GMN 13780 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16067

1650 –1653 JONSTON, John [Jan] (1603 – 1675)

Historia naturalis. 6 vols: Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus; Historiae naturalis de avibus; Historiae naturalis de piscibus et cetis; Historiae naturalis de exanguibus aquaticis; Historiae naturalis de insectis, de serpentibus et draconbius; Historiae naturalis de serpentibus.

The first 5 volumes were published in 1650; the last volume was published in 1653. This work, published in small folio format, includes 249 engraved plates and six elegant engraved title pages (4 resembling frontispie…

GMN 11704 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13905

1664 REDI, Francesco (1626 – 1697)

Osservazioni intorno alle vipere.

The first methodical work on snake-poison. Redi demonstrated for the first time that, for the poison to produce its effect, it must be injected under the skin.

GMN 2102 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/2599

1693 RAY, John (1628 – 1705)

Synopsis methodica animalium quadrupedum et serpentini generis.

This work contains the first really systematic classification of animals. Much of its general arrangement of animals survives in modern systems of classification.

GMN 299 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8847

1734 –1765 SEBA, Albertus (1665 – 1736)

Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descriptio et iconibus artificiosissmis expressio per universam physices historiam. 4 vols.

With 4 folio volumes this is probably the most elaborate catalogue of a private natural history museum, wunderkammer, or cabinet of curiosities ever published. The text is printed in Latin and Dutch. The work includes…

GMN 7485 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9657

1758 RÖSEL VON ROSENHOF, August Johann (1705 – 1759)

Historia naturalis ranarum nostratium in qua omnes earum proprietates, praesertim quae ad generationem ipsarum pertinent, fusius enarrantur.

Text in Latin and German. Includes the life cycle of all species of frogs found in Germany. Spectacular hand-colored plates. Digital facsimile from Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg at this link.

GMN 9562 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11748

1768 LAURENTI, Josephus Nicholaus (1735 – 1805)

Specimen medicum: Exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum.

"Laurenti is considered the auctor of the class Reptilia (reptiles) through his authorship of Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena (1768) on the poisonous function of r…

GMN 9517 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11702

1778 GEOFFROY, Étienne Louis (1725 – 1810)

Dissertations sur l’organe de l’ouie. 1. De l’homme. 2. Des reptiles. 3. Des poissons.

GMN 1551 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/1133

1784 –1787 PENNANT, Thomas (1726 – 1798)

Arctic zoology. 3 vols.

Pennant had "intended to write a "Zoology of North America" but as he explained in the "Advertisement", since he felt mortified by the loss of British control over America, this was changed to Arctic Zoology.[22] The …

GMN 11618 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13818

1796 RUSSELL, Patrick (1727 – 1805)

An account of Indian serpents collected on the coast of Coromandel: containing descriptions and drawings of each species, together with experiments and remarks on their several poisons.

First attempt at a description of Indian serpents and serpent venoms. Includes the original description of Russell’s viper, Daboia russellii. Digital facsimile from the Linda Hall LIbrary at this link.

GMN 310 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/127

1801 AZARA, Felix de (1746 – 1821); MOREAU DE SAINT-MÉRY, Médéric Louis Élie (1750 – 1819)

Essais sur l'histoire naturelle des quadupedes de la province du Paraguay...Ecrits depuis 1783 jusqu'en 1796 (an 4 de la Republique Française); Avec une appendice sur quelques reptiles, en formant suite nécessaire aux Oeuvres de Buffon; Traduits sur le manuscrit inédit de l'auteur par M. L. E. Moreau-Saint-Méry.

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link. Published as Apuntamientos par ala historia natural de los Páxaros del Paragüay y Rio de la Plata. 2 vols. Madrid: La Imprenta de la Viuda de Ibarra, …

GMN 13453 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15727

1836 –1840 HOLBROOK, John Edwards (1794 – 1871)

North American herpetology; or, a description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States. 4 vols.

The greatest American book on herpetology, and one of the finest American color plate books on natural history. The fourth volume is particularly rare. Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link…

GMN 326.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/171

1840 –1843 OWEN, Sir Richard (1804 – 1892); DARWIN, Charles Robert (1809 – 1882); GOULD, John (1804 – 1881); BELL, Thomas (1792 – 1880); WATERHOUSE, George Robert (1810 – 1888); JENYNS, Leonard (1800 – 1893)

The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R. N., during the years 1832 to 1836. Edited by Charles Darwin. 5 pts in 3 vols.

Part 1: Fossil mammalia by Richard Owen; Part 2: Mammalia by George Waterhouse; Part 3: Birds by John Gould; Part 4: Fish by Leonard Jenyns; Part 5: Reptiles by Thomas Bell. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive…

GMN 7437 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9609

1843 GREAT BRITAIN. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

Catalogue of Reptiles contained in the Museum of the Medical Department of the Army, Fort Pitt, Chatham.

Chiefly specimens collected by medical officers stationed in Canada, Australia, and India, as well as other colonies. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 10377 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12569

1854 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND

Descriptive catalogue of the fossil organic remains of Reptilia and Pisces contained in the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

GMN 13865 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16155

1857 –1877 AGASSIZ, Louis Jean Rodolphe (1807 – 1873); AGASSIZ, Alexander Emmanuel Rodolphe (1835 – 1910)

Contributions to the natural history of the United States. 5 vols.

Vols. 1-4 by Louis Agassiz were published from 1857-1862; Vol. 5, North American starfishes by Alexander Agassiz, appeared in 1877. Louis Agassiz was, for his time, the leading comparative anatomist in America and a v…

GMN 333 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/217

1872 FAYRER, Sir Joseph (1824 – 1907)

The thanatophidia of India. Being a Description of the venomous snakes of the Indian Peninsula, with an account of the influence of their poison on life and a series of experiments

Considered the first systematic work on venomous snakes. Describes all the venomous snakes of India. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 2105 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/2604

1872 GRAY, John Edward (1800 – 1875); SOWERBY, James De Carle (1787 – 1871); BELL, Thomas (1792 – 1880); LEAR, Edward (1812 – 1888)

Tortoises, terrapins, and turtles drawn from life

Though not credited on the title page, Thomas Bell was superintendent of the plates and the intended author of this work. James de Carle Sowerby created the original paintings. Edward Lear drew the plates on stone. Fo…

GMN 13353 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15624

1878 EWART, Joseph (1831 – 1906)

The poisonous snakes of India: For the use of the officials and others residing in the Indian Empire.

Digital facsimile from the Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

GMN 9497 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11682

1886 MURRAY, James A.

The reptiles of Sind: A systematic account, with descriptions of all the species inhabiting the province, and a table of their geographical distribution in Persia, Bloochistan, Afghanistan, Punjab, Northwest Provinces, and the Peninsula of India generally, with woodcuts, lithographs, and colored illustrations.

A re-issue with additions to date, of "Reptilian fauna" in the author's Vertebrate zoology of Sind. Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.

GMN 13052 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15303

1936 KELLY, Howard Atwood (1858 – 1943)

Snakes of Maryland.

GMN 13588 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15866