Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1535

PIERRE ARMAND DUFAU (1795-1877) Des aveugles. Jules Renouard 1850 2nd ed. xxx, 348 pp., 4 plates. 21.5 cm.

Dufau was among the pioneering group of French educators who participated in the development of what eventually became known as the "Braille method" of reading. The historical background of the system as well as many details and insights regarding its uses are explained in the book. The first edition, published in 1837, won Dufau a prize of 6000 francs from L'Académie Française for his work. Dufau's book followed closely that of Louis Braille (1809-1852) who published his system the same year. One of the plates consists of a raised alphabet with numbers and a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the bottom of the page, which is also in a raised alphabet. Additional plates depict Braille's system of music, numbers, and the alphabet as well as a Braille map of central Europe. This copy is an author's presentation copy.

Gift of John Martin, M.D.