FONTANA, Felice (1730-1805) Traité sur le vénin de la vipère, sur les poisons Américains, sur le laurier-cèrise et sur quelques autres poisons végetaux. On y a joint des observations sur la structure primitive du corps animal. Différentes expériences sur la reproduction des nerfs et la déscription d'un nouveau canal de l'oeil. - Firenze, s.n.t., 1781
2 vols in 1. 4to. Old half calf, spine gilt; slightly rubbed. With 10 engraved plates. XXVIII, (2 blank), 329 pp.; XI, (1), 373 pp.; small wormholes in the blank upper inner corner of some pages.
The considerably enlarged first French edition in which most of the experiments and discoveries are recorded for the first time (first edition: Lucca 1767, with only 184 pp.). It is one of the most significant works by the Italian naturalist and physiologist. Vol. I and the beginning of vol. II deal with the venom of vipers; the work continues with the descriptions of «poison from the laurel tree and its effect on the nervous system, the poison called ticunas by the American Indians, and experiments with tobacco oil (pp. 161-162), followed by considerations on nervous diseases. On pp. 177-186 Fontana describes the experiments on the regeneration of nerves he made in London in 1778-79. On p. 187 begins the section containing his observations on the structure of the nerves, brain, and tendons, and on the movement of the muscles. These observations are based on Fontana's highly important microscopic investigations which are described and illustrated... (On pp. 267-69 he) gives the first extensive description of Fontana's Canal, the "spadia angula iridis" in the eye (with illustration), an important discovery in the history of ophthalmology...» (Offenbacher, cat. 38/57, 1986). DSB V, 55. Wellcome III, 37. Blake 150. Sabin 24988. Cf. Garrison & M. 2103: «The starting point of the modern investigation of serpent venom».
Euro1500
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