U.S. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
Profiles in science.
https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ "Explore digitized archival collections to learn about prominent scientists, physicians, and other 20th-century leaders in biomedical research and public health."
GMN 13766 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16051
1506 CHAMPIER, Symphorien (1472 – 1539)
De medicine claris scriptoribus in quinque partitus tractatus. In his: Libelli duo
French physician and writer Symphorien Champier's biographical study of famous medical writers, De medicine claris scriptoribus in quinque partibus tractatus, issued as part of his Libelli duo, has been called the fir…
GMN 6376 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8345
1562 GALEN, [Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; Galen of Pergamon] (129 – 216); GESNER, Conrad [Konrad Gessner] (1516 – 1565)
Prologomena in Galenum, in tres partes divisa IN: volume one of Cl [audius]Galen Pergameni [Opera] Omnia quae extant, in Latinum sermonem convers.
Prologomena in Galenum, in tres partes divisa written by physician, naturalist, and bibliographer, Conrad Gessner (Gesner), and issued in volume one of Cl [audius] Galeni Pergameni [Opera] Omnia, quae extant, in Latin…
GMN 6814 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8977
1691 DESCARTES, René (1596 – 1650); BAILLET, Adrien (1649 – 1706)
Le vie de monsieur Descartes. [par Adrien Baillet].
An early separately published biography of a contributor to the history of the life sciences. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12692 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14937
1696 MANDOSIO, Prospero (1648 – 1709)
Theatron in quo maximorum Christiani orbis pontifcum archiatros…spectandos exhibet.
The first book on the lives of papal physicians.
GMN 6703 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7798
1724 SERVETUS, Michael [Miguel Serveto Conesa; also known as Miguel Servet, Miguel Serveto, Revés, or Michel de Villeneuve] (1511 – 1553); ANONYMOUS
An impartial history of Michael Servetus, burnt alive at Geneva for heresie.
Authorship of this early English account of Servetus and his martyrdom for heresy has never been determined, according to Geoffrey Sill, "The authorship of An impartial history of Michael Servetus," Papers of the Bibl…
GMN 12698 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14943
1727 SERVETUS, Michael [Miguel Serveto Conesa; also known as Miguel Servet, Miguel Serveto, Revés, or Michel de Villeneuve] (1511 – 1553); MOSHEIM, Johann Lorenz von (1693 – 1755); ALLWOERDEN, Heinrich von (1703 – )
Historia Michaelis Serveti Quam praeside Io. Laur. Mosheimio...auctor Henricus ab Allwoerden.
An early biographical account of Servetus and his martyrdom for heresy, prepared under the direction of Johann Lorenz von Mosheim whose Kaisergeschichte (2 vols, 1746-48) initiated the modern, objective historiography…
GMN 12697 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14942
1731 MANGET, Jean-Jacques [Johann Jacob Mangetus] (1652 – 1742)
Bibliotheca scriptorum medicorum, veterum et recentiorum ... sicque historia medica vere universalis... 4 vols.
Though the title might be translated as a library of medical writings, the set is an extensive bio-bibliographical dictionary of medical writers. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 11172 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13369
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
1747 BOERHAAVE, Herman (1668 – 1738); MATY, Michel
Essai sur la caractére du grand medecin ou eloge critique de Mr. Herman Boerhaave [By Michael Maty].
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12700 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14945
1755 MEAD, Richard (1673 – 1754); MATY, Matthew (1718 – 1776)
Authentic memoirs of the life of Richard Mead. [By Matthew Maty]
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12699 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14944
1760 RAY, John (1628 – 1705); DERHAM, William (1657 – 1735); SCOTT, George Lewis (1708 – 1780)
Select remains of the learned John Ray, M.A. and F.R.S. with his life by the late William Derham, D. D. Canon of Windsor, and F.R.S. Published by George Scott, M.A. and F.R.S.
Because Derham died in 1735 this biography would have been written in the early part of the 18th century after the death of Ray in 1705. Digital facsimile from the Hathi Trust at this link.
GMN 12703 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14948
1778 ÉLOY, Nicolas François Joseph (1714 – 1788)
Dictionnaire historique de la médecine ancienne et moderne, ou mémoires disposés en ordre alphabétique pour servir à l’histoire de cette science, et à celle des médecins, anatomistes, botanistes, chirurgiens et chymistes de toutes nations. 4 vols.
The earliest exhaustive collection of medical biographies, and biographies of scientists working in related subjects. The first edition of this work appeared in 1755; the above edition is the most useful. Digital facs…
GMN 6704 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7801
1778 HAZON, Jacques-Albert (1708 – 1779); BERTRAND, Thomas-Bernard (1682 – 1751)
Notices des hommes les plus célebres de la Faculté de Médecine en l'Université de Paris, depuis 1110, jusqu'en 1750 (inclusivement), extraite- (en plus grande partie) du manuscrit de feu M. Thomas-Bernard Bertrand, communiqué par M. son fils, rédigée par M. Jacques-Albert Hazon.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12696 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14941
1780 AIKIN, John (1747 – 1822)
Biographical memoirs of medicine in Great Britain from the revival of literature to the time of Harvey.
The first collection of British medical biographies.
GMN 6705 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7803
1781 FOTHERGILL, John (1712 – 1780); ELLIOT, John (1747 – 1787)
A complete collection of the medical and philosophical works of John Fothergill. With an account of his life; and occasional notes, by John Elliot.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 11601 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13800
1783 HALLER, Albrecht von (1708 – 1777); HENRY, Thomas (1734 – 1816)
Memoirs of Albert de Haller, M.D. Member of the Sovereign Council of Berne; President of the University, and of the Royal Society of Gottingen; Fellow of the Royal Society of London, &c. Compiled, chiefly, from the elogium spoken before the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, and from the tributes paid to his memory by other foreign societies
This is illustrated with a small cameo portrati of Haller drawn and engraved by William Blake. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12689 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14934
1784 MARINI, Gaitano Luigi (1742 – 1815)
Degli archiatri pontifici. 2 vols.
Biographies of papal physicians. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 6706 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7805
1791 FRANKLIN, Benjamin (1706 – 1790)
Mémoires de la vie privée de Benjamin Franklin, écrits par lui-même, et adressés a son fils; suivis d'un précis historique de sa vie politique, et de plusieurs pièces, relatives à ce père de la liberté.
"The Autobiography remained unpublished during Franklin's lifetime. In 1791, the first edition appeared, in French rather than English, as Mémoires de la vie privée de Benjamin Franklin, published in Paris. This trans…
GMN 12721 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14967
1794 LINNAEUS, Carl (Linné) (1707 – 1778); STOEVER, Dietrich Johan Heinrich (1767 – 1822)
The life of Sir Charles Linnaeus, Knight of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star, &c. &c. To which is added a copious list of his works, and a biographical sketch of the life of his son, by D. H. Stoever. Translated from the original German by Joseph Trapp.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12686 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14931
1799 HUTCHINSON, Benjamin
Biographia medica; or, historical and critical memoirs of the lives and writings of the most eminent medical characters that have existed from the earliest account of time to the present period; with a catalogue of their literary productions. 2 vols.
British and foreign medical biographies.
GMN 6707 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7806
1804 DARWIN, Erasmus (1731 – 1802); SEWARD, Anna
Memoirs of the life of Dr. Darwin, chiefly during his residence in Lichfield: With anecdotes of his friends, and criticisms on his writing.
Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 12687 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14932
1817 LETTSOM, John Coakley (1744 – 1815); PETTIGREW, Thomas Joseph (1791 – 1865)
Memoirs of the life and writings of the late John Coakley Lettsom..., with a selection from his correspondence
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12694 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14939
1820 –1825 JOURDAN, Antoine Jacques Louis (1788 – 1848)
Dictionaire des sciences médicales. Biographie médicale. 7 vols.
Authorship of this anonymous work is frequently attributed to Jourdan, who signed the preface. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 8924 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11102
1822 –1935 SACKLÉN, Johan Fredric (1763 – 1851); ET AL
Sveriges läkare-historia ifran Konung Gustaf den I:s till närvarande tid. 5 vols.
GMN 6731 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7851
1822 DE QUINCEY, Thomas Penson (1785 – 1859)
Confessions of an opium eater.
First published anonymously in September and October 1821 in the London Magazine, 4, No. xxi, 293-312, and No. xxii, 353-79, the Confessions was released in book form in 1822, and, after various reprints, again in 185…
GMN 8904 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/11082
1822 O'MEARA, Barry Edward (1786 – 1836)
Memoirs of the military and political life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his origin, to his death on the rock of St. Helena. Comprising a just outline of his splendid and unexampled military career, from his first entering the regiment La Fere as lieutenant, to its tremendous termination at the battle of Waterloo; a detailed view of his extraordinary return to France from Elba, and the events of his ensuing reign of 100 days. Embracing also an authentic narrative of the conduct of Napoleon during his voyage to St. Helena, and while in exile, and of the events attending his confinement, sickness, and death, with numerous private documents, now first published in this country, and collected chiefly from the writings of Dr. B.E. O'Meara, Surgeon to Napoleon at St. Helena.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 13873 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16163
1824 WATT, Robert (1774 – 1819)
Bibliotheca Britannica, or, A general index to British and foreign literature. 4 vols.
This bio-bibliographical encyclopedia of English and foreign literature includes many articles on physicians from the ancient world up to Watt's time, and is an extraordinary achievement for one man. Typically the fir…
GMN 8410 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/10587
1825 –1829 DOIN, Guillaume Tell (1794 – 1845); VIGNERON, Pierre Roche (1789 – 1872)
Galerie médicale dessinée et lithographiée par Vigneron avec des notices biographiques et littéraires par G. T. Doin.
32 finely lithographed portraits in small folio format with biographies of notable figures in the history of medicine. The original intention was to publish 100 portraits but only 32 were issued.
GMN 10580 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/12773
1825 ANTOMMARCHI, Francesco (1789 – 1838)
The last days of the Emperor Napoleon by Doctor F. Antommarchi, his physician. 2 vols.
An account of Napoleon's final illness and the medical care that Napoleon received while emprisoned on the island of Saint Helena, by his physician. English and French language versions of this work were published in …
GMN 11508 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13707
1827 MACMICHAEL, William (1784 – 1839)
The gold-headed cane.
This charming “autobiography” tells of the adventures of the famous gold-headed cane, successively in the possession of Radcliffe, Mead, Askew, William and David Pitcairn, and Baillie, and then retired to a glass case…
GMN 6709 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7809
1828 –1839 DEZEIMERIS, Jean-Eugène (1799 – 1852); OLLIVIER D'ANGERS, Charles-Prosper (1796 – 1845); RAIGE-DELORME, Jacques (1795 – 1887)
Dictionnaire historique de la médecine ancienne et moderne, ou précis de l'histoire générale, technologique et littéraire de la médecine, suivie de la bibliographie médicale du dix-neuvième siècle, et d'un répertoire bibliographique par ordre de matières. 4 vols.
Biographical essays with annotated bibliographies of the authors cited. The title pages of vols. 2-4 indicate that they were written by Dezeimeris alone. Digital facsimile from The Medical Heritage Library, Internet A…
GMN 6709.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7813
1828 THACHER, James (1754 – 1844)
American medical biography. 2 vols.
Thacher was the first American medical historian. The above biography is a valuable source of information on the early medical history of the United States. Reprinted, New York, Da Capo Press, 1967.
GMN 6710 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7814
1834 DELACOUX, Alexis
Biographie des sages-femmes célèbres, anciennes, modernes et contemporaines. Avec 20 portraits.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 11151 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13348
1835 JACKSON, James (1777 – 1867)
Memoir of James Jackson, Jr., M. D. with extracts from his letters to his father: and medical cases, collected by him.
Jackson published this biography of his son, James Jackson, Jr. after his son's premature death in 1834. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 12688 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14933
1838 –1840 PETTIGREW, Thomas Joseph (1791 – 1865)
Medical portrait gallery. Biographical memoirs of the most celebrated physicians, surgeons, etc. etc. who have contributed to the advancement of medical science. 4 vols.
Includes engraved portraits as well as text. The text frequently contains extensively annotated bibliographies of key works of the physicians portrayed. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.
GMN 6711 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7816
1840 –1841 PARÉ, Ambroise (1510 – 1590); MALGAIGNE, Joseph François (1806 – 1865)
Oeuvres complètes d’Ambroise Paré revues et collationnées sur toutes les éditions, avec les variantes; ornées de 217 planches et du portrait de l'auteur; accompagnées de notes historiques et critiques et précédées d'une introduction sur l'origine et les progrès de la chirurgie en occident du sixième au seizième siècle, et sur la vie et les ouvrages d'Ambroise Paré. Par J.-F. Malgaigne. 3 vols.
The best edition of Paré’s works, edited by Malgaigne. An English translation of Pare's Oeuvres by Thomas Johnson appeared as early as 1634. See also No. 5565. Janet Doe published A bibliography of the works of Ambroi…
GMN 59 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/961
1841 –1846 CHINCHILLA Y PIQUERAS, Anastasio (1801 – 1867)
Anales históricos de la medicina en general, y biografico-bibliográficos de la española en particular. 8 vols.
Includes No. 6576, together with Historia particular de las operaciones quirúrgicas, 1841; Historia general de la medicina, 2 vols. 1841-43; and Vade mecum histórico y bibliográfico, etc., 1844. Facsimile reproduction…
GMN 6575 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/8286
1841 VESALIUS, Andreas (1514 – 1564); BURGGRAEVE, Adolphe (1806 – 1902)
Études sur André Vésale: Précédées d'une notice historique sur sa vie et ses écrits.
Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 12685 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14930
1842 –1871 MCGUCKIN DE SLANE, William (1801 – 1878); IBN KHALLIKĀN, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm Abu ’l-ʿAbbās S̲h̲ams al-Dīn al-Barmakī al-Irbilī al-S̲h̲āfiʿī (1211 – 1282)
Ibn Khallikan's biographical dictionary. Translated from the Arabic by Bn. Mac Guckin de Slane. 4 vols.
Begun in 1256, this eight-volume biographical dictionary of Islamic scholarship and literature entitled Wafayāt al-aʿyān wa-anbāʾ abnāʾ az-zamān (وفيات الأعيان وأنباء أبناء الزمان) ('Deaths of Eminent Men and the Sons…
GMN 12683 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14928
1844 MARTINEAU, Harriet (1802 – 1976)
Life in the sickroom: Essays by an invalid.
"Life in the Sickroom is one of many first-hand accounts of the experience of being ill written by an invalid. Martineau was ill for six years, but she found taking on the identity of an invalid a reprieve from the st…
GMN 12136 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/14345
1845 WILLIAMS, Stephen West (1790 – 1855)
American medical biography…
Biographies of American physicians who died after publication of Thacher (No. 6710). Reprint, New York, Milford House, 1967.
GMN 6711.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7819
1846 HEWSON, William (1739 – 1774); GULLIVER, George (1804 – 1882)
The works. Edited with an introduction and notes by George Gulliver.
Hewson was a pupil of the Hunters. In 1769 his memoir on the lymphatics in fishes won for him the Copley Medal of the Royal Society. See also Nos. 863, 1102. The editor of this edition provided a detailed historical i…
GMN 79 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/1371
1847 HARVEY, William (1578 – 1657); WILLIS, Robert (1799 – 1878)
The works of William Harvey. Translated from the Latin, with a life of the author by Robert Willis.
See Sir Geoffrey Keynes’s Life of William Harvey, Oxford, 1966, (2nd printing, with corrections, 1978) and his Bibliography of the writings of William Harvey, 3rd ed., revised by Gweneth Whitteridge and Christine Engl…
GMN 61.1 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/981
1855 BAYLE, Antoine Laurent Jessé (1799 – 1858); THILLAYE, August Jean
Biographie médicale par ordre chronologique. 2 vols.
Reprinted, Amsterdam, B. M. Israël, 1967.
GMN 6712 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7821
1856 HUNT, Harriot Kezia (1805 – 1875)
Glances and glimpses; or fifty years social, including twenty years professional life.
The autobiography of the first woman to practice medicine professionally in the United States. Digital facsimile from U.S. National Library of Medicine at this link.
GMN 14125 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/16436
1857 GOMES, Bernardino António (1769 – 1823); GOMES, Bernardino António the younger (1806 – 1877)
Noticia da vida e trabalhos scientificos do medico Bernardino Antonio Gomés.
Biography and annotated bibliography of the physician and botanist Gomés senior, written by his son. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.
GMN 11784 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/13985
1858 RODRIGUES DE GUSMÃO, Francisco Antonio
Memorias biographicas dos medicos e cirurgiões Portuguezes, que no presente seculo se teem feito conhecidos por sous escriptos.
GMN 13500 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15775
1861 –2005 MUNK, William (1816 – 1898)
The roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London; comprising biographical sketches. (Lives of the fellows.) 12 vols.
“Munk’s Roll”. Covers the period 1518-2005 and onward. The entire work is available as a searchable electronic resource from the Royal College of Physicians at this link. "The first volume in this series of obituaries…
GMN 6715 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/7824
1861 GROSS, Samuel David (1805 – 1884)
Lives of eminent American physicians and surgeons of the nineteenth century. Edited by Samuel D. Gross.
Digital facsimile from U.S. National Library of Medicine at this link.
GMN 12813 · https://historyofmedicine.com/id/15059
![GALEN, [Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; Galen of Pergamon] (129 – 216)](/media/portraits/21)
