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THE FOUNDATION OF MODERN MILITARY MEDICINE. First edition, extremely rare when complete with all five text volumes and their two atlases, and in superb uniform contemporary bindings, of "Larrey s longest surgical treatise, and the only one that is extensively illustrated. Most of the illustrations concern surgical pathology. The work was published over seven years, and is very rarely found complete" (Norman). Larrey (1766-1842) was the greatest military surgeon in history (Garrison-Morton 2160). He "began his medical studies with his uncle in Toulouse and, in 1787, traveled to North America. Returning to Paris, he continued his studies and during the Revolution, in 1792, was attached to the Army of the North. He eventually became principal surgeon of the French Army and thereafter followed Napoleon Bonaparte in almost all his campaigns in Egypt, in Italy, in Germany and Austria, in Russia, and, finally, at Waterloo. Napoleon made him baron of the empire. After the fall of Napoleon, Larrey s medical reputation saved him, and he was named a member of the Académie de Médicine at its founding in 1820. Larrey was the first to note the contagiousness of trachoma (1802) and published the first description of trench foot (1812) … He introduced field hospitals, ambulance service, and first-aid practices to the battlefield" (Britannica). Larrey "is hailed as one of the foremost role models in the history of military surgery. The introduction of the rapid evacuation of the wounded from the battlefield by horse-driven special flying ambulances, the practice of sensible triage, together with innovating surgical ideas saved many lives and continues to serve as a guide in emergency medicine. His bravery under fire, the unlimited dedication to the wounded, whether friends or foes, and the courageous ethical conduct in preventing the execution of soldiers alleged of self-mutilation bravely opposing his raging emperor brought him immediate fame and long-lasting popularity all around the Western World" (Feinsod et al.). "Baron Domonique Jean Larrey, Napolean's brilliant chief surgeon, is truly the father of modern military medicine. By treating the casualties on the battlefield during the fighting, he revolutionized the role of the forward surgeon. His innovative concepts included attention to the total care of the wounded and the health of the troops between battles. Modern military medicine has added little to these concepts. With a fertile imagination and keen observation of clinical states, he introduced improved surgical techniques in thoracic and general surgery. It may be truthfully said that his contributions to military surgery matched the skills of his distinguished chief, Napoleon" (Brewer, p. 1096). The only other complete copy listed on ABPC/RBH is the Norman copy, which was not uniformly bound. In this copy, the plates of the atlas to vol. 5, which are printed in larger format, are folded and bound with the atlas to vols. 1-3. Provenance: Contemporary manuscript ex-libris Mahieu in each volume; signature Pascal Cassé on each title; from the library of Jean Blondelet, "certainly the greatest collector of medical books in the 20th century" (Sotheby s); sold Sotheby s, 30 October 2017, lot 66, 13,750. "Orphaned at the age of 13, Baron Larrey's education was supervised by his Uncle Alexis Larrey, chief surgeon of St. Joseph de la Grave Hospital in Toulouse, France. His brilliance in the University of Toulouse School of Medicine won for him a medal and the opportunity to further his surgical studies in. Paris. In 1792, when war broke out, he was attached to the Army of the Rhine with the rank of surgeon major. Thereafter Larrey served Napolean in every war, including 25 campaigns and 60 battles. "In 1797 Larrey was authorized by the quartermaster general to build ambulances volantes of two types: two-wheel cars for flat country and those with four wheels for rough terrain. An ambulance (the forward medical unit) consisted of. Seller Inventory # 5782
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