Although anticipated by Whistler and others in the description of infantile rickets, Glisson’s account was the fullest that had till then appeared. He was first (Chap. 22) to describe infantile scurvy. Glisson’s book on rickets was one of the earliest instances of collaborative medical research in England, combining the observations of Glisson and seven other contributors. G.Bate and A. Regemorter are credited as co-authors. This monograph on the biomechanics of deformities included an early study of the pathologic anatomy of scoliosis. An English translation appeared in 1651.

Extensively illustrated treatise on varieties of body modifications, real or imagined, includes details on hair styles, tatoos, piercing, including sexual aspects. Digital facsimile of the 1653 edition from the Internet Archive at this link.

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 frontispieces, engraved by engraver and publisher Matthias Merian).

This work, which was a major expansion and reworking of material that Jonston originally outlined in his Thaumatographia naturalis (1632), was both illustrated and published by Matthäus Merian. Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

Highmore is remembered for his description of the maxillary sinus, known eponymically as the “antrum of Highmore” (already noticed by Casserius and figured by Leonardo da Vinci), the seminal ducts and the epididymis. This was also the first English work to accept Harvey’s ideas on the circulation. The interesting engraved title page compares the body allegorically to a garden, with the heart as a pump irrigating the garden. Digital facsimile from the Medical Heritage Library, Internet Archive, at this link.

Pecquet discovered the thoracic duct in dogs and its relation to the lacteals. Using a dog that was digesting, he described the thoracic duct, its entry into the subclavian veins, and the receptaculum chyli or chyle reservoir. The chyle reservoir had been sought after since Aselli’s discovery of the chyliferous vessels (lacteals) in the dog. English translation, London, 1653.

Harvey was among the first to disbelieve the erroneous doctrine of the “preformation” of the fetus; he maintained that the organism derives from the ovum by the gradual building up and aggregation of its parts.  The chapter on on labor (“De partu”) in this book is the first work on that subject to be written by an Englishman, and the first original work on obstetrics by an English author. This book also demonstrates Harvey’s intimate knowledge of the existing literature on the embryology. He corrected many of the errors of Fabricius. Harvey considered this to be the culminating work of his life, and more significant than De motu cordis. See The analysis of the Degeneratione animalium of William Harvey by A. W. Meyer, Stanford Univ. Press, 1936. First English translation, London, 1653. New translation, with introduction and notes by G. Whitteridge, Oxford, Blackwell, 1980.

Highmore’s account of the development of the chick is the first embryological study based on microscopical examination, predating Malpighi (No. 468) by more than twenty years. This is also the first book in English to refer to the microscope. It was published within weeks of Harvey’s book (No. 467). Harvey and Highmore had collaborated on embryological research at Oxford since the 1640s.

Digital text from quod.lib.umich.edu at this link

Contains Bartholin’s discovery of the thoracic duct. English translation, 1653.

Panaroli described hemolytic jaundice of the newborn.

One of the earliest accounts of beri-beri is on pp. 300-05 of this work. Tulp, notable as the demonstrator in Rembrandt’s “Anatomy Lesson”, was among the first, in the same book, to describe the ileo-caecal valve (“Tulp’s valve”). The first edition was published in 1641.

"Tulp's book has various accounts of unusual illnesses and primarily growths or carcinomas, but also has accounts of creatures brought back from Dutch East India Company ships. His drawing of a Chimpanzee is considered the first of its kind.^[2] This creature was called an Indian Satyr, since all ships cargo was considered Indonesian. However, the accompanying text claims the animal came from Angola. This drawing was copied many times and formed the basis for many theories on the origin of man. Most notably, Tulp's work and that of Jacob de Bondt (alias Jacobus Bontius) was copied and republished by Linnaeus to show a link between apes and man.^{[2]" (Wikipedia article on Observationes medicae (Tulp).}

Digital facsimile of the 1652 edition from Google Books at this link.

"Culpeper attempted to make medical treatments more accessible to laypersons by educating them about maintaining their health. Ultimately his ambition was to reform the system of medicine by questioning traditional methods and knowledge and exploring new solutions for ill health.... He was one of the most well-known astrological botanists of his day,^[5]pairing the plants and diseases with planetary influences, countering illnesses with nostroms that were paired with an opposing planetary influence. Combining remedial care with Galenic humoral philosophy and questionable astrology, he forged a strangely workable system of medicine; combined with his "Singles" forceful commentaries, Culpeper was a widely read source for medical treatment in his time" (Wikipedia article on Nicolas Culpeper, accessed 01-2017).  See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plants_in_The_English_Physitian (accessed 01-2017).

Digital facsimile from Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

Bartholin disputed the claim of Rudbeck as to priority in the discovery of the intestinal lymphatics. Although anticipated in this by Rudbeck, there is no doubt that Bartholinus was the first to appreciate the significance of the lymphatic system as a whole. Facsimile edition, 1916.

Rudbeck claimed to have discovered the intestinal lymphatics and their connexion with the thoracic duct in 1651, a claim disputed as to priority by Bartholin (Nos. 1096-97). This book was reproduced in facsimile in 1930. English translation in Bull. Hist. Med., 1942,11, 304-39.

Wallis, a prominent teacher of deaf-mutes, classified the various sounds of the human voice. He taught by writing and gesture. He was Savilian Professor of Mathematics at Oxford.

The second work in English on pediatrics, published more than 100 years after the publication of Phaer’s book. Pemell was a general practitioner living at Cranbrook in Kent; he was buried only five days after the publication of his book. Reprint, Tuckahoe, 1971.

The first work to apply microscopy to medicine. Borel described 200 observations and applications; he probably saw the blood corpuscles and Sarcoptes scabiei.

First accurate description of the capsule of the liver (Glisson’s capsule) and its blood-supply. He also described the sphincter of the bile duct (“Glisson’s sphincter”, the sphincter of Oddi). This is the first book printed in England which gives a detailed account of a single organ based on original research. See No. 1098.1.

Independently of Bartholin and Rudbeck, George Joyliffe (1621-58) observed the lymphatics. He communicated his discovery to Glisson early in 1652 and the latter included an account in the above work (Cap. xxxi). See No. 972.

Elsholtz was the first physician to study anthropometry and human proportion.

The first independent bibliography of chemistry and alchemy, citing 4000 books and manuscripts, including authors or titles now lost or obtainable today only with great difficulty. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

“Schneider’s membrane”, the pituitary membrane of the nasal chamber and sinuses.

Scultetus is famous for his illustrations of surgical procedures and both surgical and dental instruments. With respect to dentistry he describes and illustrates stomatological operations and includes fine illustrations of extraction instruments. The first edition was the only edition published in folio format. This was the most popular surgical text of the 17th century. It underwent numerous editions and translations. That with the most expanded text and illustrations was published in Amsterdam, 1672. English translation from a less expanded Dutch edition, London, 1674. Digital facsimile of 1655 edition from Google Books at this link.

Page 245 contains a report of successful symphysiotomy.

Borel collected evidence to show that Zacharias (sometimes called Zacharias Janssen) invented the compound microscope about 1590. Zacharias was a spectacle-maker of Middelburg, Holland.

The earliest sale catalogue of a private scientific or medical library may be that of Jean Riolan the Younger. John F. Fulton (1899-1960) owned a possibly unique copy of an inventory sale catalogue of Riolan’s library issued by the Parisian booksellers Simeon Piget and Federicus Leonard in 1654. The library must have been purchased outright by John Martyn and James Allestrye, booksellers for the Royal Society, as they issued the above inventory sale catalogue of the complete library in 1665. Fulton observed that neither of the Riolan catalogues include prices and tentatively concluded that the books were disposed of to the highest offer through private negotiation. See Fulton, The great medical bibliographers (1951) 27-28.

Edited for publication by Worm's son, Willum Worm.  Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

Moffet's work in nutrition was collected in his book Health's Improvement, which was designed more for the layman than for physicians. It also contains the first list of British wildfowl, recognizing for the first time the migratory habits of many of them. Like Moffet'sTheatrum Insectorum, this work was published posthumously, edited for the press by Christopher Bennet. Digital text available from Early English Books Online at this link. Digital facsimile of the London, 1744 edition "To which is now prefix'd a short view of the author's life and writings by Mr. [William] Oldys and an introduction by R[obert] James from Google Books at this link.

"In his Prae-Adamitae, published in Latin in 1655 and in English as Men Before Adam in 1656, La Peyrère argued that Paul's words in Chapter 5, verses 12-14 of his Epistle to the Romans should be interpreted such that "if Adam sinned in a morally meaningful sense there must have been an Adamic law according to which he sinned. If law began with Adam, there must have been a lawless world before Adam, containing people".^[4] Thus, according to La Peyrère there must have been two creations: first the creation of the Gentiles and then that of Adam, who was father of the Jews. The existence of pre-Adamites, La Peyrère argued, explained Cain's life after Abel's murder which, in the Genesis account, involved the taking of a wife and the building of a city. This account of human origins became the basis for 19th century theories of polygenism and modern racism. This polygenesis of the Gentiles was his method of explaining the existence of the Negroes, Chinese, Eskimos, American Indians, Malays and other people groups being discovered.^[5]

"La Peyrère's contentions were soundly refuted by Protestant, Jewish and Catholic authorities. In 1656 after a storm of indignation the Prae-Adamitae was publicly burned in Paris and La Peyrère was imprisoned briefly during a visit to the Catholic Spanish Netherlands, but was released after he supposedly recanted.

"In 19th-century Europe polygenism and Pre-Adamism were attractive to those intent on demonstrating the inferiority of non-Western peoples, while in the United Statesthose attuned to racial theories who found it unattractive to contemplate a common history with non-Whites, such as Charles Caldwell, Josiah C. Nott and Samuel G. Morton, also rejected the view that non-whites were the descendants of Adam. Morton combined pre-Adamism with cranial measurements to construct a theory of racial difference that justified slavery" (Wikipedia article on Isaac La Peyrere, accessed 03-2018).

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

Wharton described the duct of the submaxillary salivary gland (“Wharton’s duct”). He described the thyroid more accurately than his predecessors, naming it. He also described “Wharton’s jelly” of the umbilical cord (pp.243-44). Wharton explained the role of saliva in mastication and digestion, but provided erroneous explanations for the functions of the adrenals and thyroid. Adenographia gave the first thorough account of the glands of the human body, which Wharton classified as excretory, reductive, and nutrient. He differentiated the viscera from the glands and explained their relationship. Wharton was one of the few physicians to remain in London during the plague of 1666.

Stockhausen had considerable experience in treating the diseases of miners. His book on industrial diseases did much to clarify contemporary knowledge regarding the relative toxicity of lead, mercury, arsenic, cobalt, and other metals, although he claimed that lead colic was caused only by lead fumes. Translated into French by Joseph Jacques de Gardanne as Traité des mauvais effets de la fumes de la litharge (Paris, 1776.) Digital facsimile of the 1656 edition from the Bayerische StaatsBibliothek at this link.

Rolfinck was the first to demonstrate the location of cataract in the lens.

The first book on Peruvian bark or cinchona  (chinchona) in the treatment of malaria.

The first description published in Europe of an ecosystem of the Far East, including animals as well as plants, with particular attention to Chinese fruit bearing plants, and medicinal properties of Chinese plants. Digital facsimile from the Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

In 1664 Melchisédech Thévenot published a 15-page translation of Boym's text as Flora Sinensis, ou traité des fleurs, des fruits, des plantes et des animaux particuliers à la Chine IN: Relations de divers voyages curieux : qui n'ont point esté publiées, est qu'on a traduit or tiré des originaux des voyageurs françois, espagnols, allemands, portugais, anglois, hollandois, persans, arabes & autres orientaux. Digital facsimile from the Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel  at this link.

Moscardo's museum contained natural history specimens, archeological remains, and ethnographic objects. Around 1642 Moscardo acquired a portion of the collection of Francesco Calceolari and added it to his museum. Digital facsimile of the 1656 edition from the Internet Archive at this link. The second edition (Verona,1672) was greatly expanded with a disquisition by Athanasius Kircher on a Canopic urn owned by Moscardo. Digital facsimile of the 1672 edition from the Getty Research Institute, Internet Archive, at this link.

Catalogue of the first natural museum in England, the collection made by John Tradescant the Elder and the Younger, and left by John Tradescant the Younger to Elias Ashmole, who, along with Thomas Wharton, helped the younger Tradescant compile the catalogue. Ashmole presented the museum to Oxford University where it became the basis for the old Ashmolean Museum. This book includes on pp. 73-178, Catalogus plantarum in horto Johannes Tradescanti nascentium." Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

The first general bibliography of botany books, including herbals. The author, a prolific writer, often wrote under the pseudonym of Antonio Bumaldo.

Wepfer showed apoplexy to be a result of hemorrhage into the brain. He described four cases, with clinical and post mortem findings. He preceded Willis (No. 1378) in describing the “circle of Willis”. Partial English translation in Ruskin, Classics in arterial hypertension (1956). Digital facsimile of the 1675 edition from Google Books at this link.

This is an extensively revised and enlarged second edition of Piso’s Historia naturalis Brasiliae (1648). In this edition Piso reprinted Bontius's De medicina Indorum (1642) with two additional books on Asian flora and fauna. Piso introduced ipecacuanha into Europe. Reproduced in part, with translation, in Opuscula Selecta Neerlandicorum de Arte Medica, 1937, No. 14. See Nos. 2263.1 & 5303. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

Contains 800 illustrations of the human face. Cardan, Professor of Medicine at Padua as well as a celebrated mathematician and scientist, claimed to be able to draw horoscopes from the appearance of the face. A French translation was also published in 1658.

Kircher, a Jesuit scholar and polymath, not specifically trained in medicine, was probably the first to employ the microscope in investigating the cause of disease. He mentioned that the blood of plague patients was filled with a “countless brood of worms not perceptible to the naked eye, but to be seen in all putrefying matter through the microscope” (Garrison). He could not have seen the plague bacillus with his low-power microscope, but he probably saw the larger micro-organisms. He was the first to state explicitly the theory of contagion by animalculae as the cause of infectious diseases.

Catalogue of plants in the Oxford Botanic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in Great Britain. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

Includes (De febribus, cap. X, XIV) first description of epidemic typhoid. English translation in his Practice of physick, 1684, Treatise II, 83-98, 1111-18.

Contains the earliest suggestion that fermentation is an intestinal or internal motion of particles; the analogy between putrefaction and fermentation is also noted.

Catalogue of the library of Henrick Fuiren compiled by his brother Thomas after Henrick's death. Henrick bequeathed the library to the University of Copenhagen.