Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 461

LAZARE RIVIèRE (1589-1655) The practice of physick, in seventeen several books. Printed by J. Streater 1668 [8] 518 (misnumbered 645) [10] 363 (misnumbered 463) [32] pp. 26.7 cm.

A native of Montpellier, Rivière studied medicine there and received his doctor's degree in 1611. He became professor of medicine at Montpellier in 1622 and, although later invited to teach at Toulouse and Bologna, remained at Montpellier for his entire career. Rivière was among the first to introduce chemistry into the medical curriculum and was a proponent of the use of antimony for therapeutic purposes. He was also one of the early and prominent French advocates of Harvey's (see No. 416 ff.) doctrines on circulation of the blood. The present work contains translations of his Praxis medica and Observationum medicarum centuriae quatuor as well as a translation of Fernel's (see No. 219 ff.) Consiliorum medicinalium liber. All three were translated and edited by Culpeper (see No. 505 ff.), Abdiah Cole (1610?-1670?), and William Rowland (fl. 1652-1672). Praxis medica, dealing with the theory and practice of medicine, was possibly Rivière's most popular book; going through at least twelve Latin editions, four French editions, three English editions, and two abridged editions. His Observationum medicarum is a collection of four hundred short case histories taken from his practice. Fernel's Consiliorum medicinalium liber, translated and edited by Culpeper, includes over one hundred case histories selected from his works. Following Fernel's book are a dictionary of medical terms and an extensive index of diseases. The portrait leaf, title page, and "The printer to the reader" section are not present in this copy and have been supplied in facsimile. Lacking those pages, the binder used the title page from the second part as the main title page.

See Related Record(s): 416 219 505

Cited references: Cushing R175; Waller 8013

Gift of John Martin, M.D.