Beschreibung:

Beaumont, WilliamExperiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice, and the Physiology of Digestion. Plattsburgh: F. P. Allen, 1833 8vo in half-sheets (228 x 136 mm). 3 wood-engraved text vignettes; loss at inner margin of title-page costing one numeral of copyright notice on verso, foxed. Original brown boards; rubbed, stained, rebacked with front free endpaper and final leaf extended at inner margin. Half brown morocco slipcase, chemise. First edition of "The most important study of digestion before Pavlov" (Garrison-Morton). In 1822, Dr. Beaumont, who was serving with the U.S. Army in the Michigan Territory, treated one Alexis St. Martin, an employee of the American Fur Company who had sustained an accidental gunshot wound to the chest. Under Beaumont's care, St. Martin recovered fully, except that a small hole remained in his side, giving direct access to his stomach, and through which Beaumont conducted a series of experiments on the gastric juices over a period of several years. "His researches established the presence and role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, the temperature of the stomach during digestion, the movement of the stomach walls, and the relative digestibility of certain foods, all findings that revolutionized current theories of the physiology of digestion (Grolier, Medicine). "To the medical bibliographer there are few more treasured Americana than the brown-backed, poorly printed octavo volume of 280 pages with the imprint 'Plattsburgh, Printed by F. P. Allen, 1833'" (Osler). PROVENANCEB. Swartrout (ink stamp on front free endpaper and A3) — C. E. Camp (gift inscription from Swartrout, 30 March 1840) on front free endpaper) — G W. Perrine (gift inscription from Camp on front free endpaper, embossed stamp on title-page) — C. W. K. Briggs (signature on front board) REFERENCEDibner, Heralds of Science 130; Garrison-Morton 989; Grolier/American 38; Grolier, Medicine 61; Grolier, Science 10; Howes B291; Norman 152; Osler 1972