[James Handley] - Anatomical dialogues, or, A breviary of anatomy : wherein all parts of the human body are concisely - 1778

Title, pp [iii]-[vii], 371pp. [14] leaves :: 10 engraved plates.

From the library of Frederick Wood Jones with his book label and a note of its purchase and rebinding in 1910. He suggests that the book is by James Handley formally a surgeon in the Navy.

This pocket edition was printed in 5 editions, first 1778. Referenced in Russell's British Anatomy, 14.

Rebinding in light brown cloth. Preliminaries are darkened and foxed, moderate foxing in sections of the text. (170x114mm)

The first edition of Anatomical Dialogues, or, A Breviary of Anatomy (1778) was particularly well suited to readers in the British Army and Navy, where practical medical knowledge was a necessity rather than an academic luxury. Military and naval surgeons often worked in harsh conditions, far from universities or large hospitals, and needed compact, reliable references they could consult quickly. The dialogue format made the text easy to absorb and remember, which mattered for readers who were learning on the job or refreshing their knowledge while deployed.

For army and naval contexts, the book’s concise treatment of the human body aligned closely with the realities of military medicine. Surgeons and medical assistants were regularly confronted with traumatic injuries, infections, and the physical toll of long campaigns or sea voyages. A “breviary” of anatomy offered essential grounding in bodily structures without excessive theory, helping practitioners better understand wounds, amputations, and internal ailments. This kind of anatomical clarity was critical for effective treatment in field hospitals, aboard ships, or in colonial outposts.

Historically, the 1778 first edition also reflects a period when Britain’s military and naval power depended heavily on maintaining the health of its forces. Texts like Anatomical Dialogues supported the professionalization of military medicine by standardizing anatomical knowledge among surgeons and apprentices. As such, the book is not just an educational manual but part of the broader infrastructure that sustained the Army and Navy in the late 18th century, linking medical learning directly to imperial, naval, and military effectiveness.

A very rare copy of the first edition, quite common in later editions.