FRACASTORO, GIROLAMO. 1478-1553.


Syphilis : or, a poetical History of the French Disease. London: Jacob Tonson, 1686. Small 8vo (175 x 109 mm). Modern half red morocco and marbled boards. Lacking A1 ("Licensed" leaf); marginal chipping to title and final text leaf, minor browning and spotting.Provenance: Logan Clendening (bookplate).First edition in English. "The most famous of all medical poems. It epitomized contemporary knowledge of syphilis, gave to its name and recognized the venereal cause. Fracastorius refers to mercury as a remedy" (Garrison-Morton). This is the first translation of Fracastoro's poem into any language, and includes an amusing anecdotal biography of the author. Rare in this edition, with only 2 other copies known at auction in the last 40 years. Garrison-Morton 2364; Krivatsy 4242; Olser 4822; Wellcome III, p 50; Wing F-2049.