Details
EHRLICH, Paul (1854-1915) and Sahachiro HATA (1873-1938). Die experimentelle Chemotherapie der Spirillosen (Syphilis, Rckfallfieber, Hhnerspirillose, Frambsie). Berlin: Julius Springer, 1910.
8o (234 x 156 mm). 5 halftone plates, 3 folding printed tables, text diagrams. Contemporary half cloth, gilt-lettered spine, marbled boards. Provenance: Dr. Hans Sachs (1877-1945), Ehrlich's pupil, co-worker and bibliographer (blue pencil inscription on title: "S. lieben Prof. H. Sachs freundschaftlich, P. Ehrlich").
FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY, OF THE FIRST CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF CHEMOTHERAPY. Ehrlich had the idea of a "magic bullet" drug -- one that could seek out and attack invading organisms but not affect the host tissue -- after performing experiments with dyes in which bacteria had absorbed a stain while the surrounding micro-organism had not. Ehrlich and his assistant Hata performed 605 experiments with arsenical compounds on the spirochaeta pallida, the organism causing syphilis, which Fritz Schaudinn had identified in 1905, before they succeeded using a compound that they named "Salvarsan 606". "This was the first chapter in the history of chemotherapy, later stages being marked by the discovery of prontosil and the brilliantly successful sulpha drugs, including the well-known 'M. & B. 693' which was to save the life of Winston Churchill at a critical point in the Second World War" (PMM). PRESENTATION COPIES OF THIS WORK ARE EXCEPTIONALLY RARE. This and the following copy are the only inscribed copies of this work sold during the last 40 years. Garrison-Morton 2403; Grolier Medicine 92 (this copy exhibited); Heirs of Hippocrates 2159; Osler 1697; PMM 402; Waller 2707; Norman 686.
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FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY, OF THE FIRST CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF CHEMOTHERAPY. Ehrlich had the idea of a "magic bullet" drug -- one that could seek out and attack invading organisms but not affect the host tissue -- after performing experiments with dyes in which bacteria had absorbed a stain while the surrounding micro-organism had not. Ehrlich and his assistant Hata performed 605 experiments with arsenical compounds on the spirochaeta pallida, the organism causing syphilis, which Fritz Schaudinn had identified in 1905, before they succeeded using a compound that they named "Salvarsan 606". "This was the first chapter in the history of chemotherapy, later stages being marked by the discovery of prontosil and the brilliantly successful sulpha drugs, including the well-known 'M. & B. 693' which was to save the life of Winston Churchill at a critical point in the Second World War" (PMM). PRESENTATION COPIES OF THIS WORK ARE EXCEPTIONALLY RARE. This and the following copy are the only inscribed copies of this work sold during the last 40 years. Garrison-Morton 2403; Grolier Medicine 92 (this copy exhibited); Heirs of Hippocrates 2159; Osler 1697; PMM 402; Waller 2707; Norman 686.