Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1029

FRANCOIS DUJARDIN (1738-1775) Histoire de la chirurgie. De l'Imprimerie royale 1774-1780 Vol. I: xix [1] 528, xxix [1] pp., 4 plates; Vol. II: xvi, 794, xxxviii pp. 23.9 cm.

The present work was commissioned by the Académie royale de Chirurgie and was initially planned to cover all aspects of the history of surgery from the earliest times to the reign of Louis XVI, who was then the French king. However only the first two volumes were ever published. The project was suggested by La Martinière, first surgeon to the King, and it was he who wrote the dedication to Louis XVI. La Martinière was interested in the history of medicine and suggested that a contest be established to encourage young medical men to engage in the study of the history of medicine, which was then a subject of great interest in France. Volume I, written by Dujardin, outlines surgery through Celsus and the Roman period. This volume also contains a chapter on Chinese and Japanese surgical practices and the four plates are devoted to Oriental medical practices. Volume II, written by Peyrilhe, continues the work with the history of surgery through the later Alexandrine period, the middle ages, and into the Moslem period. According to Peyrihle, Dujardin was educated at home, later attended school in Soissons, and eventually graduated from the University of Paris. He had wide interests and at first planned to enter the priesthood. However, he was attracted to medicine and decided to make it his career. The combined burden of practice, research, and the writing of this work was too great for his delicate health, and he died with the work unfinished. Peyrihle, professor of chemistry at the Collège de Chirurgie in Paris, continued the work of his friend and colleague and produced a second volume.

Cited references: Waller 13148; Wellcome II, p. 496

Gift of John Martin, M.D.