Medical, Medical History and Medical Science

[Early Catalogue] – Dr Kirby’s Ready Remedies – 1872

Full title: Prices Current of Dr Kirby’s Ready Remedies being Selected Officinal Medicines prepared in the form of coated pills, pilules, granules, concentrated mixtures etc for Medical Practitioners by Messrs. Kirby & Company.

[Officinal is not a misspelling - it means a place where medicines are kept - from a Latin expression]

Brown paper cover catalogue, saddle stitched, 20 pages, Pictorial advertisement for Kirby’s Miniature Dispensary inside back cover, terms of trade to rear. Some marks and a stamp remnant [probably taxed] on cover, internally very clean.

Edmund Adolphus Kirby was a medical entrepreneur of the day. Author of “A formulation of selected remedies” and a pioneer in modern medicine preparation and dispensing.

The catalogue provides an interesting opening narrative on the methods and trends introduced by Kirby re the consistent preparation of medicines in pill and other form so that practitioners could ‘do away with” the mortar and pestle. His literally hundreds of standard formulations could be delivered swiftly by the use of the new parcel postage system.

Kirby patented a number of inventions including the adjustable medical couch and the “folding pattern portable medicine case’ suitable for “Saddle Practice”

Very scarce we cannot find a copy anywhere there should be including the Welcome Collection.

Scarce and interesting medical ephemera – early medical wholesaling

$80.00

Updating cart…

The Dental Hospital of London and the London School of Dental Surgery – Calendar 1881

Published in 1881 the Calendar for that 1881-1882 academic year being everything you need to know in setting out to become a fully qualified Dentist of the day – the process that is not the technical detail.

Blue paper wrappers with image of the Dental Hospital at the front – and a warning re new regulations at the rear. 46 pages, saddle stitched. A little chipped as can been seen but really quite special for its age and fragility.

The London Dental Hospital was founded in 1859 a Soho Square. In 1874 it moved to Leicester Square – the School had 70-80 students on its books at the time of this document so you can imagine how scarce they are.

Contents include … Officers; Demonstrations; Dresserships; Lectures; Medical Tutor’s Classes; Fees [15 Pounds as up! 2,300 todays worth – not bad]; Prizes, Rules and regulations; Harmonised Scheme of Attendance – with other Hospitals; memberships; Fellowships; Past students etc.

Really rather interesting as an early piece of “dental ephemera”.

Dentistry schooling – wellorganised in 1881 and relatively affordable compared with today

$60.00

Updating cart…

Artificial Teeth – adapted on an entirely new and improved system of Painless Dentistry – G.H. Jones Surgeon Dentist.

Paper covered booklet published in 1878, printed by Arless Andrews, Museum Street, London for the surgeon author. 64 pages, saddle stitched, dense type – loads of content. The rather special front cover give one lots more background.

George Horatio Jones was a prominent surgeon dentist of the period. He had superior premises at 57 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum. He had won prize medals [London, Paris and New York] for his artificial teeth and was awarded Her Majesty’s [Victoria] Royal Letters Patent.

Nice enough image of the premises as frontispiece. List of Jones’s numerous appointments on Title.

This is not a trade catalogue but a monograph on teeth. Contents include after introductory remarks … Dentition; Irregularity of Teeth; Decay; Tooth-ache; Extraction; Nitrous Oxide; Scurvy, abscess etc; Artificial teeth; Mode of Fixing; General Construction of Dentures; Cleft Palate …

Finishing with a narrative “Visit to the Factory” and numerous distinguished testimonials.

Illustrated with a number of unusual artificial dental arrangements.

Very good if not better condition – a bit of a miracle for its age and inherent fragility. Very scarce no other copies appear available.

Dentistry and artificial teeth in their infancy … superb reference

$120.00

Updating cart…

Ray Society – William Turner – Libellus de Re Herbaria 1538; The Names of Herbes 1548.

William Turner (1508-1568) is regarded as the father of British Botany. He was born at Morpeth, Northumberland, the son of a tanner. He was a super bright lad and went to Cambridge [early days] and worked his way up there before publishing his first book Libellus de Re Herberia – regarded as the first serious compilation of plants with medical properties.

His primary study was in theology and he became a name in the Protestant Church of Henry VIII. Unfortunately, when Mary became Queen he had to bolt to the Continent only to return after her death.

Published by the Ray Society, who do such magnificent important facsimiles. Note there are only five known copies of the first book and one of the second, such was their then circulation and style [quality] of printing and binding. This book, large octavo, 275 pages, jacket near complete, chip to bottom jacket spine. A near very good copy.

There have been two books previously about Turner and his work and publications, both in the 19th C with limited print runs – they themselves scarce. They have useful “best histories” of Turner’s life so that content is reproduced here along with some other useful tabular comparisons from those works – all very informative.

William Turner Botanical First and a very interesting life.

$60.00

Updating cart…

Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

Published in 2008 by Schiffer, the pen people, of Atglen, USA. Revised edition with updates by the distinguished Keith Wilbur MD who can trace back his descendants to Rhode Island 1636.

We mention the “pen people” as the book is produced in an unusual cursive font with matching line drawings of instruments.

Quarto, softcover 149 pages, very good condition.

Great content we really rate this as an introduction to the subject and for serious collectors. We also like that it has a very good section on the development of the microscope often omitted. A useful price guide provides some perspective on value.

A list of medical museums in the USA good prove a valuable starting point for a holiday focused on such matters. Plan your next trip.

Wilbur’s Medical Instruments a great place to start … and more

$60.00

Updating cart…

No Image Available

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1896 – [Includes paper by Robert Etheridge Jnr on the Silurian Fossils of Montgomery, Govt Geologist]

Printed by Davies Brothers, Hobart and issued in July 1896. Usual original presentation, octavo, perfect bound, xxviii pages of “Proceedings” followed by 100 pages of “Papers”. Appropriately illustrated, very good condition. Very clean and crisp internally.

Distinguished geologist and paleontologist Robert Etheridge Jnr followed in the footsteps of his similarly distinguished scientific father. R.E. spent mots of his working life in Australia and his drawings of fossils are of the highest standard.

Other papers include more geological works including microscopical studies of mineral thin sections [with plates] by the nicely named Twelvetrees; public health; fishes and a tribute to recently deceased Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller [with portrait].

Interesting Tasmanian Royal Society P&P – 1896.

$50.00

Updating cart…

[Early Catalogue] – Dr Kirby’s Ready Remedies – 1872

The Dental Hospital of London and the London School of Dental Surgery – Calendar 1881

Artificial Teeth – adapted on an entirely new and improved system of Painless Dentistry – G.H. Jones Surgeon Dentist.

Ray Society – William Turner – Libellus de Re Herbaria 1538; The Names of Herbes 1548.

Antique Medical Instruments – Wilbur

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1896 – [Includes paper by Robert Etheridge Jnr on the Silurian Fossils of Montgomery, Govt Geologist]

Product Categories