Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1052

PIERRE JOSEPH DESAULT (1744-1795) Oeuvres chirurgicales. Chez la C. Ve. Desault, Méquignon l'aîné, Devilliers, Deroi, et au Magasin de Librairie 1798 Vol. I: [6] viii, 410 [3] pp., front. (port.), 2 fold. plates; Vol. II: [4] 528 pp., 7 fold. plates. 20.4 cm.

After coming to Paris to study anatomy and surgery, Desault began giving private lectures in these subjects. Although he was a poor speaker, his knowledge and command of the subject matter soon made him a successful teacher. He instituted major changes in the teaching of surgical anatomy, especially emphasizing the importance of learning normal and pathological anatomy through actual dissection. Desault was the first to develop an effective method of ligating blood vessels for aneurysms and introduced a number of surgical instruments and techniques, most notably in the areas of fractures and dislocations. He became chief surgeon at the Charité before moving six years later to the Hôtel Dieu where he founded the school of surgery. With large numbers of surgical patients available, Desault introduced a new form of clinical teaching in which he taught from the bedside instead of the lecture hall. His classes drew students from all of Europe and he was ultimately acclaimed as the "first surgeon of Europe." Desault published few works and it remained for Bichat (see No. 1256 ff.) to prepare the present treatise. Volume I treats of skeletal problems and Volume II discusses diseases of the soft tissues and viscera. Originally published in only two volumes, a third volume from the second edition has been included with this set (see No. 1053).

See Related Record(s): 1256 1053

Cited references: Garrison-Morton 5580; Waller 2373 (2nd ed., 1801-1803); Wellcome II, p. 452

Gift of John Martin, M.D.