![MAIMONIDES [Moses ben Maimon] (1135-1204). Aphorismi secundum doctrinam Galeni. - [MESU (ca. 777-857)]. Aphorismi Johannis Damasceni. - RHAZES (ca. 854-925). Liber de secretis in medicina. - HIPPOCRATES (460-ca. 370 B.C.). Prognostica. Bologna: Franciscus (Plato) de Benedictis, for Benedictus Hectoris, 19 May 1489.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1998/NYP/1998_NYP_08854_0122_000(104749).jpg?w=1)
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MAIMONIDES [Moses ben Maimon] (1135-1204). Aphorismi secundum doctrinam Galeni. - [MESU (ca. 777-857)]. Aphorismi Johannis Damasceni. - RHAZES (ca. 854-925). Liber de secretis in medicina. - HIPPOCRATES (460-ca. 370 B.C.). Prognostica. Bologna: Franciscus (Plato) de Benedictis, for Benedictus Hectoris, 19 May 1489.
Chancery 4o (201 x 136 mm). Collation: a-q8 r6 A-C8 (a1r Maimonides, r5v colophon, r6 blank, A1r Mesu, A5r Rhazes, C7r Hippocrates, C8r colophon, C8v blank). 157 leaves (of 158, without the blank). 36 lines and headline. Types 2:80R (text) and 3:100G (headlines in quires a-r). Initial spaces with printed guide-letters. (Some mostly marginal dampstains heavier in quire A, scattered stains from wax droplets, C8 with small filled hole obscuring 2-3 letters, c8 torn across eight lines of text, small wormhole in blank margin of last eight leaves.) Panelled brown morocco antique by Bernard Middleton (quires A-C bound before quires a-r).
Provenance: extensive early marginalia (cropped); Wellcome Library (withdrawn stamp, A1v).
FIRST EDITION. Maimonides, born in Spain, spent the greater part of his career in Egypt as court physician to the sultan and head of the Jewish community in Cairo. Best known for his legal, philosophical and theological works, he also composed a number of medical treatises. The present work, written in Arabic and translated into Hebrew and Latin, is "an analysis and critique of Galen's theories relative to anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, therapeutics, fevers, bloodletting, emetics, surgery, hygiene, dietetics, drugs, and so forth" (Stillwell). Although Maimonides recognized Galen as his master, he also charged him with contradictions and with ignorance in matters of philosophy and theology. The present work contains 1500 aphorisms from Galen and 42 critical comments.
The Aphorisms of Mesu, attributed here and generally in late medieval tradition to Johannes Damascenus, are now thought to be the work of Mesu the Elder, the teacher of Johannitius (Hunayn ibn Ishaq). This work and the other two texts found in the present edition, Rhazes' De secretis in medicina sive aphorismi, and Hippocrates Liber prognosticorum, also called Capsula eburnea, were first printed in Latin translation with the first edition of Rhazes's Liber ad Almansorem (Norman 1800).
Goff M-77; BMC VI, 824 (IA. 28878); CIBN M-507; HC 10524*; Klebs 644.1; IGI 6744; Pellechet 7454 (7371); Garrison-Morton 6495.7; Stillwell Science 444; Wellcome 3989; Norman 1423.
Chancery 4o (201 x 136 mm). Collation: a-q8 r6 A-C8 (a1r Maimonides, r5v colophon, r6 blank, A1r Mesu, A5r Rhazes, C7r Hippocrates, C8r colophon, C8v blank). 157 leaves (of 158, without the blank). 36 lines and headline. Types 2:80R (text) and 3:100G (headlines in quires a-r). Initial spaces with printed guide-letters. (Some mostly marginal dampstains heavier in quire A, scattered stains from wax droplets, C8 with small filled hole obscuring 2-3 letters, c8 torn across eight lines of text, small wormhole in blank margin of last eight leaves.) Panelled brown morocco antique by Bernard Middleton (quires A-C bound before quires a-r).
Provenance: extensive early marginalia (cropped); Wellcome Library (withdrawn stamp, A1v).
FIRST EDITION. Maimonides, born in Spain, spent the greater part of his career in Egypt as court physician to the sultan and head of the Jewish community in Cairo. Best known for his legal, philosophical and theological works, he also composed a number of medical treatises. The present work, written in Arabic and translated into Hebrew and Latin, is "an analysis and critique of Galen's theories relative to anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, therapeutics, fevers, bloodletting, emetics, surgery, hygiene, dietetics, drugs, and so forth" (Stillwell). Although Maimonides recognized Galen as his master, he also charged him with contradictions and with ignorance in matters of philosophy and theology. The present work contains 1500 aphorisms from Galen and 42 critical comments.
The Aphorisms of Mesu, attributed here and generally in late medieval tradition to Johannes Damascenus, are now thought to be the work of Mesu the Elder, the teacher of Johannitius (Hunayn ibn Ishaq). This work and the other two texts found in the present edition, Rhazes' De secretis in medicina sive aphorismi, and Hippocrates Liber prognosticorum, also called Capsula eburnea, were first printed in Latin translation with the first edition of Rhazes's Liber ad Almansorem (Norman 1800).
Goff M-77; BMC VI, 824 (IA. 28878); CIBN M-507; HC 10524*; Klebs 644.1; IGI 6744; Pellechet 7454 (7371); Garrison-Morton 6495.7; Stillwell Science 444; Wellcome 3989; Norman 1423.