Philippe Hecquet - Réflexions sur l'usage de l'opium - 1726

Reflections on the use of opium, sedatives, and narcotics for the healing of diseases is a medical treatise by Philippe Hecquet, presented in the form of a letter, in which he examines in depth the use of opium and other narcotic substances in therapeutic practice. The author does not merely describe their effects; he undertakes to confront conventional wisdom about these drugs with clinical experience and rational observation, seeking to determine when and how they can be useful to alleviate suffering or cure certain conditions. His text blends descriptions of traditional uses, critical reflection on risks and benefits, and a naturalist view of the body that transcends the mystical or purely dogmatic conceptions of medicine in his time. This work, well before modern debates on psychoactive substances, explores opium as a potentially powerful but complex therapeutic tool, underscoring the need for prudence, discernment, and a deep knowledge of the mechanisms of the human body.

Philippe Hecquet (1661–1737) was a French physician trained in Reims and then settled in Paris, where he became a regent doctor and professor at the Faculty of Medicine. His career blended clinical practice, teaching, and prolific writing on a variety of medical topics. Hecquet aligned himself with a mechanistic tradition influenced by Descartes, which led him to explain health and disease in terms of physical and natural principles rather than mystical ones. He also took an interest in broader questions of public health, dietary regimens, and common medical practices, often with a critical and original mindset. His work reflects an era when medicine began to base itself on observation and experience, while remaining anchored in the intellectual and scientific debates of the early eighteenth century.



HECQUET, Philippe - Reflections on the use of opium, sedatives and narcotics for the cure of diseases. In the form of a letter.

Paris, 1726. First edition.

1 volume, in-12 (374 pp. + table).

Full calf binding. Spine with raised bands and some loss. Wear and small losses at the corners and heads/tails. Joints cracked. Overall good condition. Interior well preserved. Small damp stains at the beginning of the work. And small, old wormholes in places, not serious.

Rare specimen