Tractado Breve de Medicina

viii+353 pages with illustrations and index. Quarto (11" x 7 3/4") bound in original publisher's wrappers in original jacket. Coleccion de Incunables Americanos Volumen X. Limited to 3000 copies of which this is 1502. Facsimile edition original published in Mexico by Pedro Ocharte in 1592.

Fray Agustín Farfán, member of the Augustinian religious order was the author of two important medical texts: Brief Treatise on Medicine, published in 1579, and Brief Treatise on Anatomy and Surgery, and Some Diseases, published in 1592. Pedro García Farfán, a Spanish physician by profession, was admired as an excellent surgeon who served as a doctor in the family of King Felipe II of Spain. In 1568, he joined the Augustinian order adopting the name of Agustín Farfán when he traveled to the new Spanish colony. The Brief Medicine Treaty was one of the first medical guides in New Spain and was instrumental in helping a large number of new diseases that overwhelmed indigenous peoples as a consequence of the introduction of diseases by Spanish settlers. Brief Medicine Treaty consists of four parts and an index in alphabetical order of diseases. The first part analyzes the stomach ailments. The second part deals with the methods to cure the wounds of the mouth, throat, eyes, and the treatment of a common cold. In addition, Farfán formally criticizes the doctors by profession referring to them as "quacks" or "bad doctors". The third part focuses on blood diseases, while the fourth part refers to simple and complex sores, head wounds, stomach ulcers, and bladder problems. A disease index is provided at the end of the book. Brief Treaty of Medicine introduced to Europe the therapeutic uses of cocoa.

Condition:

Jacket edge wear with some lightly soiling else a better than very good copy in like jacket.