1541 GESNER, Conrad [Konrad Gessner] (1516 – 1565)
Libellus de lacte, et operibus lactariis, philologus pariter ac medicus; cum Epistola ad Iacobum Avienum de montium admiratione.
The first book on Alpinism and mountaineering. Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link. English translation by H. B. D. Soulé as Conrad Gesner: On the admiration of mountains; the prefatory letter addresse…
GMN 13142 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15400
1553 MÉNDEZ, Christóbal (1500 – 1553)
Libro de exercicio corporal y de sus provechos, por el qual cada uno podra entender que exercicio le sea necessario para conservar su salud.
The first separate book on exercise by a physician. Facsimile with English translation by Francisco Guerra as Book of bodily exercise, edited by Frederick G. Kilgour (New Haven: E. Licht, 1960).
GMN 4478.99 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8869
1555 GESNER, Conrad [Konrad Gessner] (1516 – 1565)
De raris et admirandis herbis, qvae sive qvod noctv luceant, siue alias ob causas, Lvnariae nominantur, Commentariolus : & obiter de alijs etiam rebus quae in tenebris lucent. Inseruntur & Icones quaedam herbarum nouae. Eivsdem descriptio Montis Fracti, siue Montis Pilati, iuxta Lucernam in Helvetia. His accedunt Io. Dv Chovl G. F. Lugdunensis, Pilati Montis in Gallia Descriptio. Io. Rhellicani Stockhornias, qua Stockhornus mons altissimus in Bernensium Helvetiorum agro, versibus Heroicis describitur.
Contains Gesner's second work on mountaineering, his description of the Riven Mountain, commonly called Mount Pilatus, Eivsdem descriptio Montis Fracti, siue Montis Pilati, iuxta Lucernam in Helvetia. Digital facsimil…
GMN 13141 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15399
1569 MERCURIALE, Girolamo (1530 – 1606)
Artis gymnasticae apud antiquos celeberrimae, nostris temporibus ignoratae.
A history, based on extensive study of the classical literature, of the attitudes and practices of the Greeks and Romans concerning diet, hygiene, bathing, and exercise. This is one of the earliest books to discuss th…
GMN 1986.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/3781
1667 BORELLI, Giovanni Alfonso (1608 – 1679)
De vi percussionis liber.
Building on the theory of mechanics as formulated by Aristotle and Galileo, and countering objections expressed by Stephani degli Angeli among others, Borelli presented a completely mechanical account of the action of…
GMN 9644 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11831
1700 RAMAZZINI, Bernardino (1633 – 1714)
De morbis artificum diatriba.
Ramazzini's study of the diseases of workers, De morbis artificium diatriba, was the first comprehensive and systematic treatise on occupational medicine; it was also the foundation work in ergonomics. It deals with p…
GMN 2121 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/79
1705 FULLER, Francis (1670 – 1706)
Medicina gymnastica; or, a treatise concerning the power of exercise.
The first English book on the power of exercise in treating disease. Fuller also recommended exercise for aid in the recovery from psychological and emotional disorders. In this he preceded Cheyne (No. 4840).
GMN 1986.3 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/80
1780 TISSOT, Clément Joseph (1750 – 1826)
Gymnastique médicinale et chirurgicale, ou essai sur l’utilité du mouvement, ou des différens exercices du corps, et du repos dans la cure des maladies.
The first book on therapeutic exercise as the term is understood today. English translation with facsimiles in reduced format of 18th century translations into German, Italian and Swedish, New Haven, [1964].
GMN 1987.4 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/3807
1794 ASCLEPIADES OF BITHYNIA (ἈΣΚΛΗΠΙΆΔΗΣ) (-124 – -40); GUMPERT, Christian Gottlieb (1772 – 1832)
Aesclapiadis Bithyni fragmenta. Digessit et curavit Christianus Gottlieb Gumpert. Praefatus est Christian. Gothfridus Gruner.
After the fall of Corinth (146 BCE), Greek physicians migrated to Rome. There, before the advent of Asclepiades, Greek physicians were despised and distrusted. Asclepiades may be said to have established Greek medicin…
GMN 19 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/4656
1813 THOM, Walter (1770 – 1824)
Pedestrianism; or, An account of the performances of celebrated pedestrians during the last and present century : with a full narrative of Captain Barclay's public and private matches; and an essay on training.
Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 7543 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9715
1822 RAMAZZINI, Bernardino (1633 – 1714); PATISSIER, Philibert (1791 – 1863)
Traité des maladies des artisans, et de celles qui résultent des diverse professions, d'après Ramazzini; Ouvrage dans lequel on indique les précautions que doivent prendre, sous le rapport de la salubrité publique et particulière, les fabricans, les manufacturiers, les chefs d'ateliers, les artistes, et toutes les personnes qui exercent des professions insalubres.
This second French edition of Ramazzini's De morbis artificum diabriba by Philibert Patissier provides so much new material on the diseases of workers in France as to virtually double the length of Ramazzini’s text. D…
GMN 9326 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11508
1834 LING, Per Henrik (1776 – 1839)
Gymnastikens allmänna grunder.
The foundation of modern gymnastics and therapeutic massage. Ling established the Swedish school of physiotherapy with his institute for training gymnastics teachers in Stockholm in 1813. He developed the ancient Gree…
GMN 1993 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/82
1835 DUNGLISON, Robley (1798 – 1869)
On the influence of atmosphere and locality; change of air and climate; seasons; food; clothing; bathing; exercise; sleep; corporeal and intellectual pursuits, &c. &c. on human health; constituting elements of hygiéne.
Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 10108 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12297
1836 WEBER, Eduard Friedrich Wilhelm (1806 – 1871); WEBER, Wilhelm Eduard (1804 – 1891)
Mechanik der menschlichen Gehwerkzeuge. 1 vol. and atlas.
A pioneering study of the physiology and biomechanics of motion and locomotion. The atlas contains four illustrations that were printed directly from actual bones embedded in plaster of Paris. This is one of the only …
GMN 604 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/458
1841 ASCLEPIADES OF BITHYNIA (ἈΣΚΛΗΠΙΆΔΗΣ) (-124 – -40); WELZ, Robert Anton Ritter von (1814 – 1878)
Des Asclepiades von Bithynien Gesundheitsvorschriften, nach den vorhandenen Handschriften zum ersten Male vollständig bearbeitet und erläutert. Von Robert Ritter von Welz.
The Greek physician Asclepiades acquired a great reputation in Rome. His remedies included change of diet, friction, bathing, and exercise. The above edition includes Greek, Latin, and German texts. Digital facsimile …
GMN 1984 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8811
1846 WARREN, John Collins (1778 – 1856)
Physical education and the preservation of health.
An expanded version of a lecture first delivered and published as a pamphlet in 1830. This is the first edition in book form, and one of the first American works on the value of exercise for the preservation of health…
GMN 11724 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13925
1864 MERCURIALE, Girolamo (1530 – 1606); BLUNDELL, John Wilton Frankland (1820 – 1883)
The muscles and their story, from the earliest times: Including the whole text of Mercurialis, and the opinions of other writers, ancient and modern, on mental and bodily development
Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 8975 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11154
1865 BUSQUÉ TORRÓ, Sebastian (1831 – 1880)
Gimnástica, hygiénica, medica, y ortopédica.
Busqué developed the modern concept of rehabilitation.
GMN 1996.2 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/1860
1886 HARTWELL, Edward Mussey (1850 – 1922)
Physical training in American colleges and universities. Circulars of information of the Bureau of Education. No. 5-1885.
Concerns training methods and equipment, primarily for men (3 pages devoted to women) in the United States, with a chapter on training in Germany. Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.
GMN 7070 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9237
1888 LAGRANGE, Fernand (1845 – 1909)
Physiologie des exercices du corps.
Digital facsimile of the revised and expanded 2nd edition, 1889, from BnFGallica at this link.
GMN 11676 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13877
1889 BRAUNE, Christian Wilhelm (1831 – 1892); FISCHER, Otto (1861 – 1917)
Über den Schwerpunkt des menschlichen Körpers mit Rücksicht auf die Ausrüstung des deutschen Infanteristen.
Translated into English by P.G.J. Maquet and R. Furlong as On the centre of gravity of the human body as related to the equipment of the German infantry soldier. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1985.
GMN 12646 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14887
1892 BRAUNE, Christian Wilhelm (1831 – 1892); FISCHER, Otto (1861 – 1917)
Bestimmung der Trägheitsmomente des menschlichen Körpers und seiner Glieder.
Translated into English by P. Maquet and R. Furlong as Determination of the moments of intertia of the human body and its limbs. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1988.
GMN 12647 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14888
1895 –1904 BRAUNE, Christian Wilhelm (1831 – 1892); FISCHER, Otto (1861 – 1917)
Der Gang des Menschen. 1-6 Abt. (All published.)
Classic study of the human gait. The authors calculated the external and internal forces involved in walking and described the kinematics and kinetics of the movement. Because of Braune's death in 1892 he could only c…
GMN 645 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/524
1899 DARLING, Eugene Abraham (1868 – 1934)
The effects of training. A study of the Harvard University Crews.
Pioneering study of the physiological effects of training.
GMN 4478.105 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/83
1899 MUYBRIDGE, Eadweard [JAMES EDWARD MUGGERIDGE] (1830 – 1904)
Animals in motion.
GMN 650 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/528
1901 MUYBRIDGE, Eadweard [JAMES EDWARD MUGGERIDGE] (1830 – 1904)
The human figure in motion. An electro-photographic investigation of consecutive phases of muscular actions.
Muybridge, an Englishman, made exhaustive photographic investigations of consecutive animal movements while he was in America. More than 100,000 photographs were embodied in his Animal locomotion. An electro-photograp…
GMN 651 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/553
1906 ZUNTZ, Nathan (1847 – 1920); LOEWY, Adolf (1862 – 1937); CASPARI, Wilhelm (1872 – 1944); MÜLLER, Franz Robert (1871 – 1945)
Höheklima und Bergwanderungen in ihrer Wirkung auf den Menschen. Ergebnisse experimenteller Forschungen im Hochgebirge und Laboratorium.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12297 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14519
1910 WEISSBEIN, Siegfried (1876 – )
Hygiene des Sports… Herausgegeben von Siegfried Weissbein. 2 vols.
The first comprehensive work on sports medicine. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 4478.106 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/317
1913 MUSSABINI, Scipio Africanus (1867 – 1927)
The complete athletic trainer, by S. A. Mussabini in collaboration with Charles Ranson.
Includes advice on health, diet, etc. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 7542 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9714
1914 GALEN, [Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; Galen of Pergamon] (129 – 216)
De sanitate tuenda ed. K. Koch. Corpus Medicorum Graecorum V, 4, 2, 1-198
English translation by R. M. Green, Springfield, Ill., 1951.
GMN 1985 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8824
1926 SCHRÖTTER, Anton Hermann Victor Thomas von (Schrötter von Kristelli) (1870 – 1928); LOEWY, Adolf (1862 – 1937)
Über den Energieverbrauch bei musikalischer Betätigung.
Specialized study on the energy consumption of musicians.
GMN 12298 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14520
1931 HEALD, Charles Brehmer (1882 – 1974)
Injuries and sport. A general guide for the practitioner.
The first English treatise on sports medicine.
GMN 4478.107 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/319
1931 MEANWELL, Walter Ernest (1884 – 1953); ROCKNE, Knute Kenneth (1888 – 1931)
Training, conditioning, and the care of injuries.
The first American book on sports medicine, co-authored by the legendary football coach, Knute Rockne.
GMN 4478.108 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8871
1933 VAN DE VELDE, Theodoor Hendrik (1873 – 1937)
Sex efficiency through exercises. Special physical culture for women, with 480 cinematographic and 54 full-page illustrations.
Includes a series of 12 "cinematographic" films on 480 flicker cards. In all the photographs frontal nudity of the female model is covered by clothing, though her buttocks are exposed in some views. Having previously …
GMN 13200 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15461
1937 KENNY, Elizabeth (1886 – 1952)
Infantile paralysis and cerebral diplegia: Methods used for the restoration of function.
GMN 4671 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/870
1941 KRUSEN, Frank Hammond (1898 – 1973)
Physical medicine: The employment of physical agents for diagnosis and therapy.
GMN 12379 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14604
1947 LEONARD, Fred Eugene (1866 – 1922); AFFLECK, George Baird (1874 – 1958)
A guide to the history of physical education. 3rd edition, revised and enlarged by George Affleck.
Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.
GMN 1668 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/2271
1947 BOHM, Wilber (1890 – 1971)
Research and writings on training, conditioning, treatment of athletic injuries, and corrective work. 2 vols.
Bohm was probably the first full-time professional physician in professional sports.
GMN 11392 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13591
1951 MORRISSEY, Alice B.; RUSK, Howard A. (1901 – 1989)
Rehabilitation nursing. Foreward by Howard A. Rusk.
The first book on rehabilitation nursing, including a historical survey of rehabilitation and a study of the incidence of disability in the U.S. Morrissey conducted her research in association with the Institute of Ph…
GMN 14367 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16699
1955 ASCLEPIADES OF BITHYNIA (ἈΣΚΛΗΠΙΆΔΗΣ) (-124 – -40); GUMPERT, Christian Gottlieb (1772 – 1832); GREEN, Robert Montraville (1880 – 1955); COCCHI, Antonio (1695 – 1757)
Asclepiades, his life and writings: A translation of Cocchi's life of Asclepiades and Gumpert's fragments of Asclepiades, by Robert Montraville Green.
Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.
GMN 8329 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10505
1961 WHITE, Paul Dudley (1886 – 1973); RAAB, Wilhelm (1895 – 1970); KRAUS, Hans (1905 – 1996)
Hypokinetic disease: Diseases produced by lack of exercise
Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.
GMN 12165 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14375
1968 CHAPMAN, Carelton B. (1915 – 2000); SALTIN, Bengt (1935 – 2014); BLOMQVIST, Gunnar; MITCHELL, Jere H.; JOHNSON, R. L. Jr.; WILDENTHAL, Kern
Response to exercise after bed rest and after training.
Order of authorship in the original publication: Saltin, Blomqvist, Mitchell, Johnson, Wildenthal, Chapman. Chapman planned the Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study, which defined the degree to which the level of habitu…
GMN 12282 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14503
1976 GUTTMANN, Sir Ludwig (1899 – 1980)
Textbook of sports for the disabled.
Pioneer treatise on sports for the handicapped by the physician who first introduced archery competition as a therapeutic measure for paraplegic war veterans in 1948.
GMN 4478.111 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/84
1985 GRITZER, Glenn; ARLUKE, Arnold (1947 – )
The making rehabilitation: A political economy of medical specialization, 1890-1980.
GMN 10094 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12283
1989 VERTINSKY, Patricia A.
The eternally wounded woman: Women, doctors, and exercise in the late nineteenth century.
GMN 11907 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14112
1995 HAGELIN, Ove
Kinetic jottings: Rare and curious books in the library of the old Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics. An illustrated and annotated catalogue.
Outstanding descriptions and superb illustrations of a very unusual collection of books, including those on fencing, gymnastics, orthopedics, physical medicine, acrobatics, and dance.
GMN 7211 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/9378
1996 SHEPHARD, Roy Jesse (1929 – ); RODE, Andris
The health consequences of 'modernisation': Evidence from circumpolar peoples.
"What are the health consequences of switching from an active 'hunter-gatherer' lifestyle to that of sedentary modern living? Here, the impact of 'modernisation' in circumpolar peoples is assessed. The hazards to huma…
GMN 10120 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12309
1997 ULMANN, Jacques
De la gymnastique aux sports modernes: Histoire des doctrines de l'éducation physique.
GMN 9371 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11554
1999 BERGDOLT, Klaus (1947 – )
Leib und Seele. Eine Kulturgeschichte des gesunden Lebens.
Translated into English by Jane Dewhurst as Wellbeing: A cultural history of healthy living (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2008).
GMN 8511 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10688
1999 TODD, Jan (1952 – )
Physical culture & body beautiful: Purposive exercise in the lives of American women 1800-1875.
The author, a professor of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin, is a powerlifter who was once considered the strongest woman in the world.
GMN 10179 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12368
![GALEN, [Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; Galen of Pergamon] (129 – 216)](/media/portraits/21)
