Jacques-Bénigne Winslow - Exposition Anatomique de la Structure du Corps Humain (4 voll.) - 1743

Bindings in full brown morocco leather, somewhat worn at the spines and hinges. Spines with restorations to 5 raised bands with gold tooling, title and inscription of volume in gold in a double compartment. Sprinkled red edges.

1 vol.: 1 blank leaf, lxxx, 360, 1 blank leaf
2 vol.: 1 blank leaf, [2], 434, 1 blank leaf
3 vol.: 1 blank leaf, [2], 407, 1 blank leaf
4 vol.: 1 blank leaf, [2], 402, [1], 1 blank leaf

Work first appeared in 1732 in two formats (quarto and duodecimo). Jakob Winsløw, known as Jacques-Benigne Winslow (1669-1760), a French anatomist of Danish origin, describes arteries, veins and nerves with extreme precision. In particular describing nerves, arteries, muscles and "bones, fresh and dry," he produced the finest descriptive anatomy work of the eighteenth century. It is worth noting that he was the first to describe the great and the small sympathetic nerves. The book marked a milestone for medical teaching of the time and is considered one of the early modern manuals of descriptive anatomy, renowned for abandoning old speculative theories in favor of rigorous and detailed direct observation of cadavers.

Two-color frontispieces with engraved printer's marks. Four fine folded anatomical plates in the first volume. Drop cap, running heads and tailpieces. Ex libris applied to every front free endpaper. Leaves slightly browned in the text, some sporadic staining. Overall, a specimen in good conservation, still usable and complete.