ANTIQUE MEDICAL BOOK Ophthalmology/Dermatology/Dentistry/Mathematics RARE 1ST ED

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EXTRAORDINARY, ORIGINAL 1684 EDITION OF "PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS". This important 17th century volume was issued by the Royal Society, London. Early learned society formed in 1660 for the advancement of scientific knowledge is still in existence today, and is believed to be the oldest continuously operating organization of its kind. The present edition, "Num. 159", contains four feature articles focusing on the eye, pores of the skin, curvature of the teeth, and algebra respectfully. All four articles were written by renowned figures in various fields.Original 17th century editions of the Royal Society's Philosophical Transactions are exceedingly scarce. We could not find another obtainable copy of the present issue, nor could we definitively locate another institutionally held copy. WorldCat shows various holdings of Philosophical Transactions dating from 1776-1934 (see OCLC Nos. 1697286, 4286288, etc.), yet just one dating from the 17th century ("16--?") at Wellcome Library in London (see OCLC No. 32261425). There may be others however they are not easily located and are genuinely scarce.Authors in the present edition include English physician and oculist William Briggs (1642-1704) who writes about the eye. Dr. Briggs made a number of significant contributions to the field of ophthalmology and was praised by Sir Isaac Newton. He recognized the retina as an expansion in which the fibres of the optic nerve are spread out, and emphasized the hypothesis of vibrations as an explanation of the phenomena of nervous action. English plant anatomist and physiologist Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712), who writes here about the pores in the skin of the hands and feet, is known as the "Father of Plant Anatomy". Notably, Dr. Grew was also the first person to study and describe ridges, furrows, and pores on hand and foot surfaces. As a result, he is considered to be one of the pioneers of dactyloscopy (study of fingerprints). Dutch scientist Anthony Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), who writes here about curves of the teeth, is known as "the Father of Microbiology". Considered to be the first microbiologist, he is best known for his work on the improvement of the microscope and for his contributions towards the establishment of microbiology. Notably, his discoveries came to light through correspondence with the Royal Society which published a number of his letters. English mathematician John Collins (1625-1683), who writes here about algebra to fellow English mathematician John Wallis (1616-1703), is best known for his extensive correspondence with leading scientists and mathematicians such as Giovanni Alfonso Borelli, Gottfried Leibniz, Isaac Newton, and John Wallis. Wallis is given partial credit for the development of infinitesimal calculus and is also credited with introducing the symbol ∞ for infinity.The Royal Society , also known as the President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society for science and is quite possibly the oldest such society still in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a royal charter by King Charles II as "The Royal Society". The Society is the United Kingdom's and Commonwealth of Nations' Academy of Sciences and fulfills a number of roles; promoting science and its benefits, recognizing excellence in science, supporting outstanding science, providing scientific advice for policy, fostering international and global cooperation, education and public engagement.The Royal Society started from groups of physicians and natural philosophers, meeting at variety of locations, including Gresham College in London. They were influenced by the "new science", as promoted by Francis Bacon in his New Atlantis, from approximately 1645 onward. A group known as "The Philosophical Society of Oxford" was run under a set of rules still retained by the Bodleian Library. After the English Restoration, there were regular meetings at Gresham College. It is widely held that these groups were the inspiration for the foundation of the Royal Society.... read more

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