Johan van Beverwijck - Alle de Wercken, soo in de Medecyne als Chirurgye - 1651

This 1651 volume collects the main works of Beverwijck: Schat der gesontheydt, Schat der ongesontheydt (ofte “genees‑konste van de sieckten”), Inleydinge tot de Hollandtsche genees‑middelen, Steen‑stuck, and Heel‑konste (surgery / external medicine).

A large and thick quarto: as roughly (8), 224; (8), 201, (1 blank); (2), 48; (4), 152; (2), 24; (2), 31; (8), 121; 71, (4) pages.

Generally a very solid and well bound volume, with occasional page margin reinforcements.

The volume includes a title page with author’s portrait — several engraved title‑vignettes (on the divisional / part‑titles), 3 full‑page anatomical plates (full-page engravings), and many smaller engraved illustrations in the text (emblematic, medical, anatomical). The text is in two columns.

CONTENTS

Schat der gesontheydt (The Treasure of Health) Guidance on preserving health and daily living

Schat der ongesontheydt (The Treasure of Unhealth / Diseases) A treatise on diseases and their remedies; sometimes

Lof der medicine ofte genees-konste (in praise of medicine)

Wederlegginge van Michiel de Montaigne against arguments denying the usefulness of medicine.


Inleydinge tot de Hollandtsche genees‑middelen (Introduction to Dutch Medicines) A pharmacopeia / herbal / domestic remedies section.

Steen‑stuck (Treatise on Stones and Gravel) Concerning urinary/renal stones (“steen en graveel”) — causes, symptoms, treatments.

Heel‑konste (Surgery, or the Art of Healing) The surgical/art‑of‑healing volume — dealing with external medicine, wounds, and surgical practice.

AUTHOR
Johan van Beverwijck (1594–1647) was a prominent Dutch physician from Dordrecht, educated in Leiden and Paris, who became widely known for his efforts to reconcile traditional Galenic medicine with emerging scientific ideas of the 17th century. He was particularly influenced by William Harvey’s discovery of the circulation of the blood and was among the first physicians in the Netherlands to endorse and popularize this concept. Beverwijck was also a skilled writer and teacher, composing works intended not only for professional physicians and surgeons but also for a literate lay audience interested in health, remedies, and practical medical knowledge.

The 1651 collected edition Alle de Wercken, soo in de Medecyne als Chirurgye brings together Beverwijck’s major writings, some previously published separately, into a single comprehensive volume. The works included are Schat der gesontheydt, which deals with the preservation of health and daily regimens; Schat der ongesontheydt, a treatise on diseases and their remedies; Inleydinge tot de Hollandtsche genees‑middelen, a guide to Dutch medicines and herbal remedies; Steen‑stuck, focused on urinary stones and related conditions; and Heel‑konste, a treatise on surgery covering wounds, fractures, and external medical practice. The volume combines rigorous medical instruction with practical advice, reflecting Beverwijck’s aim of making modern medical knowledge accessible to both professionals and educated readers.

Beyond its scientific content, Beverwijck’s works are interwoven with literary touches, such as occasional verses, reflecting the 17th-century Dutch tradition of combining learning with literary elegance. Overall, Alle de Wercken represents a landmark in early modern Dutch medicine, offering a comprehensive synthesis of theory, practice, and moral‑poetic commentary, and establishing Beverwijck’s lasting reputation as one of the leading physicians of his era.

I also note that the Dutch poet Jacob Cats was the friend of this erudite doctor and we find many poems of Cats in the text. Van Beverwyck was the first in Holland to defend Harvey's doctrine of the circulation of the blood. His work was a very popular manual for a healthy life. We find the description of silicosis (gin-drinker's liver), artificial teeth and epileptic children due to alcoholism. The work also contains a chapter on tobacco.