Thomas Willis - De Anima Brutorum - 1674

THOMAS WILLIS’ FOUNDATIONAL WORK ON NEUROLOGY.

A gorgeous period vellum binding copy of the 1674 Amsterdam issue of De Anima Brutorum, by the most important founder of the science of neurology.

In this treatise, Willis, who coined the term neurology, "recapitulated the neurological concepts he had introduced in Cerebri anatome, particularly localization, and extended them to invertebrates with some of the first detailed dissections made of the oyster, earthworm, and lobster. He attributed a wide range of diseases to neurological disturbances, among them headache, lethargy, melancholy, apoplexy, frenzy, and paralysis, but recognized the difference between the symptoms of organic brain disease and those of mental illness" (Norman).

Willis further describes the anatomy and function of the nervous system and the concept of "animal spirits," which he saw as the carriers of nerve impulses. The book details the physiological and pathological aspects of the soul, brain, and nervous system, providing early descriptions of conditions like general paralysis.

Willis also gives the first description of general paresis of the insane, and the first definite recognition of the condition now known as myasthenia gravis.

"Chap. XIV is devoted to the sense of hearing; in it Willis described the "paracusis of Willis"; a probable description of myasthenia gravis is given in Pars. 2, Cap. IX.; in Pars 2, Cap. III is an account of lethargy, and Cap. XIII gives an account of "stupidity or foolishness". Part 2, Cap. 1, deals with headache.

Willis was a part of Boyle's Oxford circle of scientists and a follower of William Harvey.

Willis was both the most successful medical practitioner of his day and a leading light in experimental natural philosophy whose associates included Robert Boyle, Robert Hooke, Richard Lower, Christopher Wren, and John Locke. His international reputation and influence continued into the next century. In 1727, "History of Physic" author John Freind declared Willis "the first inventor of the nervous system." (ST19899)


BOOK DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION REPORT:

12°, (48), 552, (20) pp., 8 fold. plates, vellum binding of the time with ink writing of title on spine and yapp (overlapping) edges. A very good plus copy.

Vellum shows expected age-related wear: surface soiling, light staining, scattered spots, and natural wrinkling; spine darkened and slightly bowed; minor creasing and edge wear. Binding remains sound with original sewing structure intact.

Edges darkened with age; shows natural toning and some mottling. Folding engraved anatomical plates present, including detailed dissections of the brain and nervous system. Plates show Some browning, handling marks, and faint dampstaining. Small closed tears at folds and margins but generally well-preserved with strong impressions.

Pages generally clean with only mild to moderate age-toning. Scattered marginal foxing and light stains consistent with age. Manuscript notes limited to preliminaries; the main text is clean and legible.
De Anima Brutorum Quae Hominis Vitalis ac Sensitiva est, Exercitationes Duæ : Prior Physiologica Ejusdem Naturam, partes, Potentias & Affectiones tradit; Altera Pathologica Morbos qui ipsam, & sedem ejus Primariam, Nempe Cerebrum & Nervosum Genus afficiunt, explicat, eorumque Therapeias instituit ; cum Figuris Æneis / Studio Thomæ Willis.

RARITY ANALYSIS:

This book is very rare. This edition (USTC 1811342) is found in only four libraries worldwide which include Bibliotheek Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, Universiteitsbibliotheek Universiteit van Amsterdam, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, and the Wellcome. RBH shows that this edition has sold at auction only nine times in the last century (and only twice since 1995).

PROVENANCE / INSCRIPTIONS IN BOOK:

One of the early owners of this book was Joseph Lowe who appears to have bought this book on April 24, 1740.

He wrote in the book:

“A.D. 1675 Th: Willis

Medicus nulli secun¬dus, moritur”

This is a Latin epitaph-style note, showing reverence for Willis’ stature in medicine. The phrase “medicus nulli secundus” (“physician second to none”) is a high encomium, likely borrowed from biographical notices of Willis circulating in the late 17th–early 18th century (Anthony Wood, Freind, Haller).

Several early ownership inscriptions and notes in ink on the front endpapers and pastedowns, including bibliographic references to Willis’ other works and mentions of Christopher Wren’s anatomical drawings. Notes in a neat 17th–18th century hand provide context about Willis’ publications, demonstrating scholarly use.

The contemporary inscriptions in the book read:

“Th. Willis b. 1621 d. 1675. In 1663 he published at the instigation of a large (dance?) foundation … Cerebri Anatome … very celebrated description by Dr. Wren … Afterwards Denman says, that in 1672 he published his work De Anima Brutorum, which is to be considered a sequel to the former. But in Sept. 1675 a license is given by the Vice Chancellor of Oxford for printing his Pathologiae cerebri et nervorum Specimen & de Scorbuto* etc.”

“In 1673 he published his Pharmaceutice Rationalis sive Diatribae de medicamentorum operationibus in humano corpore. He died before the 29th part of this work was printed. And in the preface to it there is a short account of his life & writings.

In his book De Anima Brutorum are four plates, three of them fine representing a dissected oyster, a lobster, and an earthworm. This is original, as it was painted by Dr. Lower and the drawings were taken by Christopher Wren.”

This is a bibliographic note by a later owner, probably late 17th or 18th century. It summarizes Willis’ publications, mentioning his Pharmaceutice Rationalis (1674) and notes his death (1675). The writer is aware of the plates in De Anima Brutorum, and stresses their originality — drawn from dissections and executed by Willis’ circle, including Dr. Richard Lower and Sir Christopher Wren. This reflects a scholarly, antiquarian owner who valued Willis’ connections.

This phrasing is very close to John Freind’s History of Physick (1725–26), which in Vol. II gives an account of Willis’ final works, his death in 1675, and specifically notes that Pharmaceutice Rationalis was published only partly before his death.

To summarize, this book preserves a layered provenance:

1. Early ownership (18th c.) – “Joseph Lowe” and scholarly notes drawn from John Freind.

2. Scholarly/antiquarian owner (18th c.) – Detailed biographical notes, referencing Willis’ collaborators Wren & Lower.

3. Bookseller/collector (19th c.) – Pencil collations and subject cataloguing for sale or inventory.

REFERENCES:

Wing W2827; Garrison and Morton (online) 1544, 4513, 4730, 4793, 4919, 4966; Krivatsy 13015; Norman 2245; Waller 10323. Many other references to this edition given in USTC.

#historyconnoisseurcf