Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 126.5

JOHANNES DE KETHAM (fl. 1460) Wundartznei : zů allen Gebrechen des gantzen Leibs, vnd zů iedem Glid besonder, mit was zůfällen die entstehn, vnnd eim Wundartzt zůkom[m]en mögen : vil edler bewärter Artzneien, Rath vnd Meysterstuck / des vil erfarnen Chirurgen Ioannis Charetani ; rechte Kunst vnd Bericht der Aderläss, für die Aderlässer vnd Scherer. Chr. Eg.[ Christian Egenolff], im Merzen des lars 1530 most likely First edition. [32] p. : ill. (woodcuts). 20 cm (4to).

For more information on this author or work, see number: 126

First edition and exceedingly rare. One of the earliest German books on surgery (after Brunschwig). The author would appear to be identical with Johannes Ketham, who, in Champier’s work, De medicine Claris scriptoribus, is called ‘Johannes de Karthan natione almaus etc.’ As pointed out by Sudhoff, the names of Ketham and Karthan are corrupted forms of Kirchheim; and Johannes de Ketham most probably is identical with a certain Johannes of Kirchheim, who was professor of medicine and surgery at Vienna about 1445-1470. The identity with Ketham is, however, not merely based on the author’s name. The first three sections of the present book deal with dressings for wounds. At least a considerable part of these surgical sections is identical with the corresponding section in the Fasciculus medicinae. And several chapters appear to be translations of each other. The NLM copy would appear to be a year later than this one, for it has a colophon with a Frankfort imprint and the year 1531 as opposed to the present colophon: ‘zu Strassburg im Merten des iars 1530’. The other sections of the work consist of a list of recipes and 5 treatises on blood-letting. They are illustrated by two woodcuts of a zodiac and a bloodletting manniken. The very curious and primitive woodcuts represent the earliest medical illustrations to appear in a German book. Both sides of the original flyleaf covered by contemporary manuscript (dated 1551) and lateral tears in the margin of this leaf, without loss. There are also contemporary ms notations on the verso of the first leaf. Browned and thumb marked throughout, but despite these flaws, this is a complete and eminently acceptable example of this fascinating surgical field handbook, in an excellent state of preservation. All editions of this small, popular treatise are very rare, but our copy of the first would appear to be exceedingly so. ---- Hemlock books

See Related Record(s): 127

Cited references: Choulant-Frank pp. 27, 34, 82, 83, 95, 115-22, 124

Gift of John Martin M.D.