HEBERDEN, WILLIAM. 1710-1801.


"Some Account of a Disorder of the Breast." [In:] Medical Transactions, Published by the College of Physicians in London volume 2, pp 59-67. London: Baker and Dodsley, 1772. WITH: volume 1 (1768) and volume 3 (1785) of the Medical Transactions 3 volumes. 8vo (207 x 123 mm). Contemporary polished calf, spines elaborately gilt, each with gilt lettered red and green morocco labels. Provenance: William Constable (1721-1791) fellow of the Royal Society (armorial bookplate); Selbourne Library (tiny circular ink stamp). FIRST EDITION of one of the most important papers in the history of medicine as well as several other significant contributions. Heberden's account of "angina pectoris ... is so perfect that it might well have been written today" (Garrison-Morton). Evan Bedford described the significance of Heberden's 1772 article on angina pectoris (Garrison-Morton 2887) as "probably the most concise and precise original description of a new disease in the history of medicine." Volume 2 includes five articles by Heberden in addition to his monumental paper on angina. William Constable was a fellow of the Royal Society who was mainly interested in botany, geology, and zoology. An avid collector, he was obviously interested in contemporary contributions to medicine, as evidenced by his acquisition of this set. The Medical Transactions also include: Volume 1 Garrison-Morton 5831 (Heberden on night-blindness), Garrison-Morton 2096 (Baker on colic), and Garrison-Morton 5438 (Heberden on chicken pox). E. Bedford, "William Heberden's Contribution to Cardiology," J. Royal Coll. Phys. London, 1968, pp 127-135. Bedford 42; Garrison-Morton 2887; See Norman 1033.