John Abernethy - Surgical Observations on the Constitutional Origin and Treatment of Local Diseases; and on Aneurisms - 1809

Influential early nineteenth-century surgical treatise by John Abernethy (1764–1831), the celebrated St. Bartholomew’s Hospital lecturer and follower of John Hunter. Abernethy’s work advanced the view that many local diseases stem from constitutional origins, advocating cautious, conservative treatment in an era before modern anesthesia and antibiotics. Notable for its early discussion of arterial ligation for aneurisms and for reflecting Abernethy’s characteristic blend of empirical observation and philosophical speculation. Clean cover; new endpapers. Foxing and discolouration. Small holes on pp.15 and 235. Closed tear with no loss and light creasing on p.29. A foundational text from one of the era’s most prominent and provocative surgical educators.