PARACELSUS (1493-1541)

Philosophiae ad Athenienses , drey Bücher. Von Ursachen und Cur Epilepsiae ... Item, vom ursprung, cur oder heilung der contracten glidern, jetzt newlich auß des Theophrasti selbst eigner Handtschrift trewlich an tag geben. Gedruckt zu Cöln Durch die Erben Arnoldi Byrckmanni. Anno 1564

Cologne: heirs of Arnold Birckmann the elder, 1564.
4to: A--K4 a--q4 (blank q4) 104 unnumbered leaves. Gothic letter, title printed in red and black; 4-line decorated initials. Woodcut of Paracelsus' coat of arms on k4v repeated on Q3v. Slip cancel on titlepage correcting the misprint 'Phisophiae' to 'Philosophiae'. Leaf size and condition: 190 x 138mm. Light foxing and waterstaining becoming heavier towards the end. Binding: Recent quarter morocco. Provenance and annotation: About 380 words of contemporary annotation, some very faded, in the third part; some underlining and pointing fists. Walter Pagel (1896--1983), signature dated 1952; B. E. J. Pagel (1930--2007). References: Sudhoff 65; Ferguson 52; VD16 P528; Durling 3467; Wellcome 4754.
First edition.
§ 'In surveying Paracelsus' ideas of "Matter" and the "Elements" we can hardly avoid following the "Three Books of Philosophy to the Athenians" (Pagel pp. 89--95); Temkin deals with Paracelsus chapter on epilepsy in Elf Tractat (1520); Von den hinfallenden siechtagen (1530); and De caducis liber secundus (1530), but not this text, but makes the point that for Paracelsus and his followers the treatment of epilepsy was of particular importance because it was a disease which traditional medicines had failed to cure. The efficacy of chemical remedies for epilepsy was widely debated and the condition thus became an important topic in the arguments about medical progress (Temkin pp. 72--3). Literature: Pagel, Paracelsus (1982); Oswei Temkin, The Falling Sickness (2nd edition, 1971).

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• libraire: Roger Gaskell (GREAT BRITAIN)