Dr. Allen's Synopsis Medicinae: or, a brief and general collection of the whole practice of physick : containing the opinions and judgments of the most celebrated authors, concerning diseases, their causes and remedies : with most cases in surgery and midwifery :to which are added, some

London: Printed for J. Pemberton and W. Meadows, 1730. Full Description:

ALLEN, John. Dr. Allen's Synopsis Medicinae: or, a brief and general collection of the whole practice of physick: containing the opinions and judgments of the most celebrated authors, concerning diseases, their causes and remedies : with most cases in surgery and midwifery :to which are added, some observations very rare and uncommon ; and a curious treatise on all sorts of poysons. In Two Parts. Translated from the last Edition, which is enlarged on third Part, by a Physician. London: Printed for J. Pemberton and W. Meadows, 1730.

First edition in English. This title was first published in Latin in 1719, and was a synopsis of what the great minds of that time believed about each of the known diseases. Two octavo volumes (7 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches; 195 x 120 mm). [4],336, 335-404, [4], 405-409, [1, publisher's ad]; [2], 274, [44] pp. Leaves A3-A4 of volumes I, misbound between pages 404 and 405. With numerous wood cut initials and head and tail pieces. We could only find one copy of the first English edition on Rare Book Hub, which was sold by Maggs in 1954.

Contemporary brown paneled calf. Boards ruled in blind. Spines numbered in gilt. Board edges tooled in gilt. Edges speckled red. Hinges are cracked but holding firm. Some light dampstaining to upper corner touching page numbers but not text in first volume, and some mild soiling. Overall a very good copy.

"Allen was known in the medical world for his Synopsis universae medicinae practicae, sive, Doctissimorum virorum de morbis eorumque causis ac remediis judicia (1719). Assembled from Allen's own notes it was an exhaustive and clearly presented catalogue of diseases, set out with classical and modern opinions, symptoms, and prescriptions. There were indexes of dispensaries and suppliers of drugs, and an index of 'distempers'. The book rapidly found favour: it went through three Latin editions before it was translated into English, French, and German, sometimes with additions. The author is described as MD, but it is not known where Allen acquired this qualification, and this may have led to the belief among continental writers, and documented in the Dictionary of National Biography, that Allen was a pseudonym." (Oxford DNB).

HBS 68537.

$1,500.