De la génération des vers dans le corps de l’homme, de la nature et des espèces de cette maladie; des moyens de s’en préserver et de la guérir
Paris: Veuve Alix; Lambert & Durand, 1741. Third edition. Contemporary full mottled calf, gilt spines in compartments decorated with floral and rosette tools, and red morocco title labels with gilt lettering “GENERA DES VERS / TOM I–II.” Boards with marbled patterning typical of mid-18th-century Parisian bindings, edges sprinkled red, and marbled endpapers. Bindings show moderate rubbing, minor wear to joints and corners, and a few small chips at head and tail of spines, but remain tight, attractive, and complete.
A remarkable and expanded third edition of Nicolas Andry’s groundbreaking treatise on intestinal parasites and worms in the human body, first published in 1700. De la génération des vers (literally, “On the Generation of Worms in the Human Body”) is among the earliest comprehensive works on parasitology, describing the various species of intestinal worms (vers intestinaux), their supposed origins, symptoms, and treatments. Andry (1658–1742), a physician at the Collège Royal and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, was one of the first to theorize that many diseases were caused by living organisms within the body — an idea that foreshadowed germ theory centuries later. The work covers numerous species, including the tapeworm (Tænia) and roundworm (Ascaris), and offers elaborate instructions for prevention and treatment, often drawn from early herbal, chemical, and empirical medicine.
This 1741 third edition, much enlarged and newly illustrated, is prized for its engravings of intestinal worms and anatomical depictions, including detailed foldout plates showing the tapeworm and related species. Andry’s lucid French prose, supported by extensive clinical observations and case histories, makes the book both a medical milestone and a fascinating insight into Enlightenment-era medicine. The volumes also include a lengthy catalogue of remèdes antivermineux (anti-parasitic treatments), listing botanical, mineral, and animal ingredients — from gentian root and wormwood to coral and ivory powder — reflecting both traditional pharmacology and early scientific inquiry.
Condition: Interiors clean and bright, with only light toning and occasional foxing. All engraved plates present and well-preserved, including the famous foldout tapeworm plate. Overall- very good. Item #649
Price: $600.00