c. 512 DIOSCORIDES, Pedanius [Πεδάνιος Διοσκουρίδης] (40 – 90); NICANDER OF COLOPHON (ΝΊΚΑΝΔΡΟΣ Ὁ ΚΟΛΟΦΏΝΙΟΣ; NIKANDER) (-125 – ); KRATEUAS, [Kratevas, Crateuas, Cratevas; Κρατεύας ὁ Ῥιζότομος] ( – 95)

Vienna Dioscorides. Codex Vindobonensis Med. Gr. 1.

The oldest surviving copy of Pedanius Dioscorides's treatise on medical botany and pharmacology, De materia medica, is an illuminated Byzantine manuscript produced about 512 CE. Dioscorides, a Greek physician, who may…

GMN 6816 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8979

1475 MEGENBERG, Konrad von (1309 – 1374)

Buch der Natur.

The first printed book to contain illustrations of animals, and the first notable scientific book in German. It discusses animals, birds, fish, anatomy, physiology, plagues, the medicinal value of plants and stones, e…

GMN 276.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8810

1484 KAUB, Johann Wonnecke von (1430 – 1503)

Herbarius latinus.

The first herbal printed in Germany, and the prototype for most of the herbals printed during the remainder of the 15th century. It also contains some fanciful pictures of animals. With text in Latin and with German s…

GMN 1795 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8785

1491

Hortus sanitatis.

HORTUS SANITATIS

First edition of an herbal and general treatise on natural history which became very popular; based on the unusually large number of surviving copies in institutions it must have also been a bestseller. The plant illu…

GMN 1797 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/1481

1551 BELON, Pierre [Pierre Belon du Mans; Petrus Bellonius Cenomanus] (1517 – 1564)

L'histoire naturelle des estranges poissons marins, avec la vraie peincture & description du daulphin, & de plusieurs autres de son espece.

This, Belon’s first biological work, is regarded as the earliest modern scientific work in the field of comparative anatomy. Finely illustrated with woodcuts. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 278 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8813

1551 –1587 GESNER, Conrad [Konrad Gessner] (1516 – 1565)

Historia animalium. 5 vols.

Gesner's Historia animalium is considered one of the starting points of modern zoology; it contains 4,500 pages and nearly 1,000 woodcuts, some by Albrecht Dürer. The illustrations are the first original zoological il…

GMN 280 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8815

1553 BELON, Pierre [Pierre Belon du Mans; Petrus Bellonius Cenomanus] (1517 – 1564)

De aquatilibus, libri duo cum [epsilon] [iota] conibus ad viuam ipsorum effigiem, quoad eius fieri potuit, expressis.

Considerably expanded from Belon's work of 1551. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 279 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8814

1554 –1555 RONDELET, Guillaume [RONDELETIUS] (1507 – 1566)

Libri de piscibus marinis, in quibus verae piscium effigies expressae sunt. (Universae aquatilium pars altera.) 2 vols.

Rondelet wrote this book with the idea of verifying Aristotle, but in it he described many forms of fishes for the first time. The book is an accurate account of his investigation of Mediterranean fishes and marine an…

GMN 282 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8818

1599 –1667 ALDROVANDI, Ulisse [ALDROVANDUS] (1522 – 1605)

Opera omnia. 13 vols.

Aldrovandi, first director of the botanical garden at Bologna, was a prolific writer. Some of his writings made their first appearance in print after his death. He designed them as a whole to form an enormous illustra…

GMN 290 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8831

1634 GESNER, Conrad [Konrad Gessner] (1516 – 1565); WOTTON, Edward (1492 – 1555); MOFFET, Thomas (Muffet, Mouffet, Moffett) (1553 – 1604); PENNY, Thomas (1532 – 1589); MAYERNE, Théodore Turquet de (1573 – 1654)

Insectorum sive minimorum animalium theatrum: Olim ab Edoardo Wottono, Conrado Gesnero, Thomaque Pennio inchoatum: Tandem Tho. Movfeti Londinâtis operâ sumptibusque maximis concinnatum, auctum, perfectum: Et ad vivum expressis iconibus suprà quingentis illustratum.

Edited for publication, and with an introduction by Théodore de Mayerne. Moffet, or Muffet, travelled extensively in Europe and kept copious notes of his observations on insects. He "first studied silkworms while work…

GMN 288 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8829

1648 PISO, Willem [Guillaume le Pois] (1611 – 1678); MARGGRAF, Georg (Marcgrave) (1610 – 1644)

Historia naturalis Brasiliae.

Piso's study of the natural history of Brazil was also a pioneer work on tropical medicine, and also the largest work from the standpoint of format published by the Elzeviers. The folio includes De medicina brasiliens…

GMN 2263.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/2828

1662 –1669 GOEDAERT, Jan [GOEDARTIUS] (1620 – 1668)

Metamorphosis naturalis, ofte historische beschryvinghe.... 3 vols.

Engraved frontispieces in Latin; text in Dutch. None of the volumes is dated. An edition in Latin, also undated, was issued by the same publisher in 3 vols. during the same years with the following title: Metamorphosi…

GMN 291 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8833

1669 MALPIGHI, Marcello (1628 – 1694)

Dissertatio epistolica de bombyce.

Malpighi’s work on the silkworm represents the first monograph on an invertebrate and records one of the most striking pieces of research work on his part. He dissected the silkworm under the microscope with great ski…

GMN 293 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8836

1675 SWAMMERDAM, Jan (1637 – 1680)

Ephemeri Vita. Of afbeeldingh van 's menschen leven, Vertoont in de Wonderbaarlijcke en nooyt gehoorde Historie van het vliegent ende een-dagh-levent Haft of Oever-aas. Een dierken, ten aansien van sijn naam, over al in Neerlandt bekent.

In his final publication Swammerdam studied the anatomy, development and behavior of the mayfly. Translated into English as Emphemeri vita: Or the natural history and anatomy of the ephemeron, a fly that lives but fiv…

GMN 13272 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15538

1676 RAY, John (1628 – 1705); WILLUGHBY, Francis (Willoughby) (1635 – 1672)

Ornithologiae, libri tres....Totum opus recognovit, digessit, supplevit, Joannis Raius.

Ray and Willughby were the first ornithologists to discard the Aristotelian principles of classification by function, replacing them with a morphological system based on beak form, foot structure and body size that re…

GMN 7089 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9256

1683 SNAPE, Andrew (1675 – 1742)

The anatomy of an horse.

First book in English on equine anatomy, largely a translation of Ruini (No. 285).

GMN 298 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8846

1686 RAY, John (1628 – 1705); WILLUGHBY, Francis (Willoughby) (1635 – 1672)

De historia piscium libri quatuor.

A large folio volume with 187 engraved plates considered the first modern encyclopedia on fish, this was largely the work of John Ray, prepared and expanded from Willougby's notes, more than a decade after his death. …

GMN 7088 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9255

1699 TYSON, Edward (1650 – 1708)

Orang-outang, sive homo sylvestris: Or, the anatomy of a pygmie compared with that of a monkey, an ape, and a man.

The earliest work of importance in comparative morphology. Tyson compared the anatomy of man and monkeys and between the two he placed the chimpanzee, which he regarded as the typical pygmy. This was the origin of the…

GMN 153 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/2767

1720 VALENTINI, Michael Bernhard (1657 – 1729)

Amphitheatrum zootomicum.

“First extensive work on the comparative anatomy of vertebrates” (Casey Wood).

GMN 303 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/236

1731 –1747 CATESBY, Mark (1683 – 1749)

The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants: Particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors. Together with their descriptions in English and French. To which are added observations on the air, soil and waters: With remarks on agriculture, grain, pulse, roots &c. To the whole is prefixed a new and complete map of the countries treated of. 2 vols.

The only attempt to record the natural history of a region of America during the colonial period. Includes 220 fine handcolored etched plates after and by Catesby and mostly signed with his cipher, excepting plates 61…

GMN 9571 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11758

1731 –1738 DERHAM, William (1657 – 1735); ALBIN, Eleazar (1690 – 1742)

A natural history of birds. Illustrated with two hundred and five copper plates, curiously engraven from the life. Published by the author Eleazar Albin, and carefully colour'd by his daughter and self, from the originals, drawn from the live birds. 3 vols.

This was the first English bird book issued with hand-colored plates, colored by Albin and his daughter Elizabeth. "For the most part Albin delineated one bird per plate. The birds are placed on a branch or on the gro…

GMN 12877 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15124

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

1737 –1738 BOERHAAVE, Herman (1668 – 1738); SWAMMERDAM, Jan (1637 – 1680); GAUBIUS, Hieronymus David (1705 – 1780)

Bybel der Natuure door Jan Swammerdam, Amsteldammer...Biblia naturae; sive historia insectorum, in classes certas redacta, nec non exemplis, et anatomico variorum animalculorum examine, aeneisque tabulis illustrata. Insertis numerosis rariorum naturae observationibus. Omnia lingua Batava, auctori vernacula, conscripta. Accedit praefatio, in qu vitam auctoris descripsit Hermannus Boerhaave... Latinam versionem adscriptsit Hieronimus David Gaubius. 2 vols.

Swammerdam's extensive collection of microscopical observations on insects was written in Dutch, and edited for publication 57 years after Swammerdam's death, with an extensive life of the author, by Herman Boerhaave.…

GMN 7472 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9644

1744 TREMBLEY, Abraham (1710 – 1784)

Mémoires, pour servir à l’histoire d’un genre de polypes d’eau douce, à bras en forme de cornes.

Trembley discovered the hydra and was the first to observe in it asexual reproduction, regeneration, and photosensitivity in an animal without eyes. His experiments were of great importance in the study of regeneratio…

GMN 307 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/113

1749 –1789 BUFFON, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de (1707 – 1788)

Histoire naturelle générale et particulière…. 44 vols., plus atlas.

This vast work is divided into seven parts. I: Histoire naturelle générale et particulière…15 vols., by Buffon and L.J.M. Daubenton (1749-67). II: Histoire naturelle des oiseaux. 9 vols., by Buffon, P. Guéneau de Mont…

GMN 324 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/193

1754 CATESBY, Mark (1683 – 1749); EDWARDS, George (1693 – 1773)

The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants, particulary the forest trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors. Together with their descriptions in English and French. To which are added, observations on the air, soil, and waters with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. To the whole is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of / by the late Mark Catesby; revised by Mr. [George] Edwards. 2 vols.

Second edition, edited by ornithologist George Edwards. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 7678 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9850

1766 STUBBS, George (1724 – 1806)

The anatomy of the horse.

The first original work on equine anatomy after Ruini (No. 285). Stubbs, the great painter of animals, prepared his own dissections of horse carcasses, and personally engraved the 24 double folio plates for this work,…

GMN 308.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/119

1766 HARRIS, Moses (1730 – 1788)

The Aurelian or natural history of English insects; namely, moths and butterflies.

Harris drew and engraved his own illustrations. The second edition (1778) was considerably expanded, and with four more plates than the first, for a total of 45. Some of the hand-colored copies were hand-colored by th…

GMN 10570 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12763

1782 CAMPER, Petrus (Pieter) (1722 – 1789)

Natuurkundige verhandelingen van Petrus Camper over den orang outang; en eenige andere aap-soorten. Over den rhinoceros met den dubbelen horen; en over het rendier.

Having dissected five orang-outang cadavers, Camper showed that the Bornean orang-outang was a previously undescribed species, and showed that the structure of its vocal organs did not permit speech. Digital facsimile…

GMN 7376 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9548

1787 PARRA Y CALLADO, Antonio (1739 – )

Descripcion de diferentes piezas de historia natural las mas del ramo maritimo.

This catalogue of Carrbean fish was the first scientific treatise printed in Cuba and also the first illustrated book printed in Cuba. Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

GMN 8026 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10202

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

1797 ABBOT, John (1751 – 1840); SMITH, Sir James Edward (1759 – 1828)

The natural history of the rarer lepidopterous insects of Georgia. Including their systematic characters, the particulars of their several metamorphoses, and the plants on which they feed. Collected from the observations of Mr. John Abbot, many years resident in that country, by James Edward Smith.

The earliest illustrated monograph on the butterflies and moths of North America. Text in English and French. 104 hand-colored plates. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

GMN 7768 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9940

1800 –1804 DONOVAN, Edward (1768 – 1837)

The natural history of British shells, including figures and descriptions of all the species hitherto discovered in Great Britain, systematically arranged in the Linnean manner, with scientific and general observations on each. 5 vols.

Digital facsimile from the Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

GMN 9090 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11269

1802 –1808 DONOVAN, Edward (1768 – 1837)

The natural history of British fishes, including scientific and general descriptions of the most interesting species, and an extensive selection of accurately finished coloured plates. Taken entirely from original drawings, purposely made from the specimens in a recent state, and for the most part whilst living. 5 vols.

"the paint is laid on so thickly that it is frequently impossible to see the engraved lines underneath. The already rich colouring is heightened by the addition of burnished highlights, albumen overglazes and metallic…

GMN 9089 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11268

1805 DONOVAN, Edward (1768 – 1837)

An epitome of the natural history of the insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other islands in the Indian, Southern, and Pacific oceans: Including the figures and descriptions of one hundred and fifty-three species of the more splendid, beautiful, and interesting insects, hitherto discovered in those countries, and which for the most part have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are correctly delineated from specimens of the insects; and with the descriptions are arranged according to the Linnæan system, with reference to the writings of Fabricius and other entomologists.

"Apart from occasional excursions in England and Wales Donovan never left London. His Insects of New Holland is based on specimens collected by Joseph Banks and William Bayly an astronomer on the second and third voya…

GMN 9085 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11264

1824 –1842 GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE, Étienne (1772 – 1844); CUVIER, Georges-Frédéric "Frédéric" (1773 – 1838)

Histoire naturelle des mammifères. 4 vols.

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

GMN 319 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/161

1827 –1838 AUDUBON, John James Laforest (1785 – 1851)

The birds of America. From original drawings by John James Audubon. 4 vols.

Contains 435 hand-colored plates in double elephant folio format, originally issued in 87 parts. The birds of America is widely regarded as the greatest illustrated ornithological work ever published, and one of the g…

GMN 322 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/197

1832 OWEN, Sir Richard (1804 – 1892)

Memoir on the pearly nautilus (Nautilus pompilius, Linn.).

GMN 325 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/167

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

1843 –1856 YARRELL, William (1784 – 1856); FUSSELL, Alexander (1814 – 1881); THOMPSON, John (1785 – 1866)

A history of British birds. 3 vols. plus 2 Supplements. (5 vols.)

According to its preface, Yarrell's British Birds was first published "in thirty-seven parts of three sheets each, at intervals of two months; the first Part was issued in July 1837 and the last in May 1843. The sheet…

GMN 12941 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15188

1845 –1854 AUDUBON, John James Laforest (1785 – 1851); BACHMAN, John (1790 – 1874)

The viviparous quadrupeds of North America. 2 vols. of plates in folio; 3 vols. 8vo text.

The largest and most significant color plate book produced in America during the 19th century.

GMN 7769 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9941

1847 SAVAGE, Thomas Staughton (1804 – 1880); WYMAN, Jeffries (1814 – 1874)

A description of the characters and habits of troglodytes gorilla, a new species of orang from the Gaboon River, by Thomas S. Savage; Osteology of the same by Jeffries Wyman.

First description of the gorilla. Savage, an American physician/clergyman, worked extensively as a missionary physician in Africa. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

GMN 329.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/185

1856 CASSIN, John (1813 – 1869)

Illustrations of the birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British and Russian America. Intended to contain descriptions and figures of North American birds not given by former American authors, and a general synopsis of North American ornithology. 1853 to 1855.

Originally issued in ten parts from 1853 to 1855. Cassin ran an engraving and lithographing firm in Philadelphia, which produced illustrations for government and scientific publications. He pursued ornithology as an a…

GMN 7875 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10047

1860 GOSSE, Philip Henry (1810 – 1888)

Actinologia Britannica. A history of the British sea-anemones and corals. With coloured figures of the species and principal varieties.

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

GMN 11805 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14007

1864 –1865 COUCH, Jonathan (1789 – 1870)

A history of the fishes of the British Islands. 4 vols.

Couch, a general practitioner at Polperro, Cornwall, became one of the greatest authorities on British fishes. The work, a monument of industry and patience, includes 252 hand-colored plates, also by Couch. Digital fa…

GMN 335 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/222

1865 OWEN, Sir Richard (1804 – 1892)

Memoir on the Gorilla (Troglodytes Gorilla, Savage).

This reset monograph version of Owen's paper consists of revised and augmented portions of Owen's "Contributions to the natural history of the Anthropoid Apes," which appeared in the Transactions of the Zoological Soc…

GMN 7612 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9784

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

1873 ELLIOT, Daniel Giraud (1835 – 1915); WOLF, Joseph (1820 – 1899); SMIT, Joseph (1836 – 1929)

A monograph of the Paradiseidae or birds of paradise.

This work contains 36 plates by lithographed Joseph Smit from drawings by Joseph Wolf, and handcolored by J.D. White. Wolf was regarded as the greatest bird artist of his time. Among the birds of paradise there are so…

GMN 12879 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15126

1899 –1904 HAECKEL, Ernest Heinrich Philipp August (1834 – 1919)

Kunstformern der Natur.

Includes 100 mostly color lithographic and half-tone prints based on Haeckel's sketches and watercolors. Issued in 10 fascicules of 10 prints each and collected into a bound volume in 1904. Digital facsimile of vol. 1…

GMN 7998 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10174

1966 AUDUBON, John James Laforest (1785 – 1851)

The original water-color paintings by John James Audubon for The Birds of America. Reproduced in color from the collection at The New York Historical Society. Introduction by Marshall B. Davidson. 2 vols.

First printed edition of the "virtually complete" series of original water-color paintings for Audubon's The Birds of America, preserved in The New York Historical Society.

GMN 12801 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15047