Royal Geographical Society Journals and Similar Journals

The First Documented Medical Discovery Relating to Australia – An Account of the medicinal Effects of the Resin of Acaroides Resinifera, or Yellow Resin from Botany Bay. By Charles Kite, Surgeon Gravesend, and C.M.S – contained in the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London – Published 1795 [but written in 1790]

A complete volume being Volume IV of the Society printed by Darton and Harvey for Charles Dilly, in the Poultry [London]. Very rare in any form. Published 1795. Incidentally the Medical Society was formed in 1773.

Octavo, 447 pages after preliminaries and before index. Neat library binding with paper title label. Cancelled stamp of the Bath Medical Library [Heaven knows why]. One loose gathering and a little age but a very worthy copy of this most interesting FIRST.

Many of the papers have merit but we must focus here on the paper relating to the Botany Bay resin. {Note resin and gum interchangeable below per Kite’s use]

Charles Kite who died in 1811 [no record of dob] is known for this work and another on “raising the apparently dead” he was the first to publish an example of using an electric shock [static electricity] to resuscitate a cardiac arrest.

We understand Charles Kite came up with the name Acaroides Resinifera for the plant, whilst it is now known as Xanthorrhoea or Grass Tree. Cook noted it in his journals in the year 1770 and it is now widely accepted that the gum was used for a variety of purposes by the aborigines including for its medical properties.

After an introduction relating to its use in stomach complaints Kite gives some historical background – refers to Philip’s journal {p. 59,60] but goes on to say the best information came from Mr Bowes Surgeon on the Lady Penrhyn. Bowes after describing the tree precisely goes on to where the “gum” is found, its quantity and how it is easily got especially in a hot sun. Kite goes on to record thirty experiments concerning the “gum” – various solutions and extractions. Kite proceeds to describe various cases where the “gum” has been used and the outcomes … also cases noted by other medics including Thompson of Rochester; Andrews of Brompton and Harris of Gravesend.

Comprehensive trial of the Botany Bay Resin by Charles Kite 1790/95 – Surely a FIRST

$490.00

Updating cart…

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1910 [Important papers – the whole of “The Minerals of Tasmania (Updated) W.F. Pettard and various papers by Noetling of Aboriginal interest]

Printed at the “Examiner” Launceston, one of the more substantial volumes.

W.F. Pettard of Launceston had published the “Minerals of Tasmania” in the 1890. Here we have 223 pages devoted to his update published one year before his death. His collection of minerals was handed over to the Society.

Further papers of special interest by Fritz Noetling – The Antiquity of Man in Tasmania – interesting extrapolative maps of Tasmania with the Ocean receded various depths and the resultant connection to the mainland. More on Tronatta by Noetling [see 1909 edition]; the food of the Aborigines and their language of food.

Ritz presenting on the Rev Norman vocabulary studies is another good contribution to the history of Aboriginal language.

Original soft wrappers, 409 pages, well illustrated from scientific sketches, images from photographs, tables, charts etc – some fold out.

Noetling was a German born mining engineer and at this stage was an Officer of the Society. He has previously worked in India and produced a similar body of work there. His large collection of Tasmanian Tronattas is held by the Liepzig museum. Unfortunately, after the outbreak of WWI he was interned and after the war sent back to Germany.

Special papers of Aboriginal interest and the republication of Pettard’s Minerals.

$120.00

Updating cart…

Erect-Crested Penguin – Lance Richdale – 1950

This is an offprint from the “The Emu” the then official organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist’s Union.

The point of this item is that since 1940 the population of this species of Penguin has been in decline and is now categorised as endangered. They nest on the Bounty and Antipodes Islands. Previously on the Auckland, Campbell etc Islands and the Otago Peninsula but no longer. At the time of writing the report Richdale was probably observing the last Otago nesters …

Typical offprint faded card covers, 18 pages with quite a few images from photographs of the beautifully crested penguins. Maybe there are some clues in here as to what will soon lead to further reductions in breeding.

Lance Richdale was a big individual in the bird world – he was a Fulbright Fellow at Cornell and a Nuffield Fellow in his field – later in life he spent time at the Zoological Society in London. Author of the Sexual Behavior of Penguins.

Erect-Crested doing it tough in the far reaches of the Southern Ocean.

$20.00

Updating cart…

Queensland Royal Geographical Society Journal – Diamond Jubilee Issue 1885-1945. Interesting Papua New Guinea content – Including the Kokoda Trail

The journal as published by the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland). Octavo, soft wrappers, 113 pages after preliminaries, folding chart, images from period photographs, sketch map of Papua New Guinea etc. A very good copy bar innocent marks to the covers … pretty clean and bright inside.

After various historic introductions articles re “Queensland Pastures – Their Development and Improvement; Across Papua’s Mighty Delta by A.L. Ethell; Irrigation (Queensland); The Interior of Eastern Papua by Captain Vernon – which describes the immediately post war Kokoda with interesting observations

Nicely illustrated and with a fold out sketch map from Bootless Bay (near Port Moresby) to Buna showing a vertical cross section of the Kokoda track.

A special issue of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland) Journal with particular interest to New Guinea collectors and readers.

$60.00

Updating cart…

Meteorite Craters at Henbury [Central Australia] – Geophysical Report – J. M. Rayner – 1939 [Edric Chaffer's copy]

Report No 42 of the Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia published in 1939.

Report on the Magnetic Survey conducted in 1937 with large folding plan showing craters and position of magnetic traverses and anomalies (75cm x 75cm) and a second folding plate showing the profiles of horizontal and vertical components of the magnetic field (70cm x 55cm). All in very good condition.

Ownership signature of E. K. Chaffer to front page. Edric Keith Chaffer was a geologist and long time supporter of the Royal Society of New South Wales – he was President of the Society in the 1970′s. His interest in all things geological started at Knox Grammar School … there he participated in the schools special interest in climbing. Know were the first school to climb Ayers Rock in 1950 – Chaffer as a participant narrated the film recording the event title – “Red Horizon”.

Thirteen craters ranging from 9m to 200m in diameter.

A significant cluster of meteorite craters can be found on the Henbury Station which is 130km south of Alice Springs. The craters were recognised by A. R. Alderman, who surveyed and catalogued them, in 1931 closely followed by the Bedford group – a substantial amount of meteor samples was removed. Jack Maxwell Rayner (1906-1982) conducted the first serious scientific study in 1937 the work forming the basis of this unique report published in 1939.

The craters have special scientific significant as it is believed to be the only example where all criteria e.g. size, shape, degrees of erosion can be studied in the one place. There are 13 significant craters and Rayner conducted full technical studies on all but crater no 9 {not sure why]. Rayner went on to become Director of the Commonwealth Bureau of Minerals and Resources.

Henbury Meteorite Crater Cluster.

$220.00

Updating cart…

Fine Apothecary/ Medical Cabinet – c1850- Godfrey & Cooke London [Established 1680]

Really special fine polished solid mahogany medical cabinet retailed by Godfrey & Cooke, London in the Victorian era. Campaign style brass handle and recess, working lock with original key [not to be lost]. Lovely red velvet padded interior, with two finely crafted lift out stacking trays. Individual compartments around the inside of the cabinet contain eleven glass medical bottles all with ground glass stoppers. The top tray contains period apothecary scales and a good set of weights [2,1 and ½ Drams; 2,1 Scruples and 6,5,4,3,2,1 and ½ Grains]. The lower larger tray contains a glass pestle and mortar, two lidded jars and three small ground glass stoppered bottles. Below this tray is a void containing a minute measuring cylinder [measure in “drops”] in a shagreen case and an old dropper.

The cabinet is unmarked, 26.5cm by 15cm by 14cm high; weighs approx. 3.5 kgs. The internal items are in as good a condition as you will get, one stopper with a chip the rest undamaged. Three stoppers fused in place – we are not going to force them.

The back story of this cabinet is worth a movie.

Ambrose Godfrey-Hanckwutz (1660-1741) was born in Kothen, Germany. At the age of nineteen, already married, he moved to London where he worked as an assistant to Robert Boyle founding member of The Royal Society, often described as the first chemist. He reduced his name to Ambrose Godfrey to assimilate. His primary task with Boyle was to discover the method of making phosphorous – which involves an intriguing story [too long for here]. He was eventually successful, and much money was made which allowed him to set up his own chemist’s business at the Sign of the Phoenix, Covent Garden. On his death in 1741 his sons took over the business and then in turn a nephew of the same name. On his death in 1797 the business was bought by Charles Gorman Cooke and became Godfrey & Cooke with activities on Conduit Street and then later The Royal Arcade, Bond Street. The name continued until 1910.

Fine 19thC London apothecary/ medical cabinet

$1,590.00

Updating cart…

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1910 [Important papers – the whole of “The Minerals of Tasmania (Updated) W.F. Pettard and various papers by Noetling of Aboriginal interest]

Erect-Crested Penguin – Lance Richdale – 1950

Queensland Royal Geographical Society Journal – Diamond Jubilee Issue 1885-1945. Interesting Papua New Guinea content – Including the Kokoda Trail

Meteorite Craters at Henbury [Central Australia] – Geophysical Report – J. M. Rayner – 1939 [Edric Chaffer's copy]

Fine Apothecary/ Medical Cabinet – c1850- Godfrey & Cooke London [Established 1680]

Product Categories