Jul. Palmarii Constatnini, Medici Parisiensis, de Morbis Contagiosis libri septem. Ad Amplissimvm Senatum Parisiensem.

Paulmier de Grantemesnil, Julien Le

Publication Date: 1578

About this Item

Paris, Dionysium Du-Val, 1578, 4°, (8), 443, (1 bl.) pp., mit Holzschnitt-Vignette auf dem Titel, Ledereinband d. Zt. First edition of this important work on contagious diseases, mainly venereal diseases, elephantiasis, and plague, by the French physician Julien Le Paulmier de Grentemesnil, who is credited with the invention of an efficient antidote against rabies. The work includes interesting accounts of the components for remedies. Libri: De lue venerea, libri duo -- De hydrargyro, lib. unus -- De elephantiasi, lib. unus -- De morsu canis rabidi, liber -- De febre pestilenti, libri 2. - The first two books deal with venereal disease, the third with mercury, the fourth with elephantiasis, the fifth with hydrophobia and the last two with the plague. According to Astruc, they contain many excellent observations on the origin and nature of venereal disease and on the various cures used in his time. The fact that he did not favour mercury over all other remedies was due to his affinity with Fernel, his teacher, who forbade the use of mercury. Julien Le Paulmier de Grantemesnil (1520-1588) was a Protestant doctor from Cotentin, he studied medicine in Paris where, as Huet writes, 'he stayed with Fernel for eleven years and profited so well under his learned teacher that he was esteemed as one of the most learned doctors of his century'. During the civil wars that ravaged France, he retired to a country estate near Rouen and occupied himself, as he said, 'so as not to waste time', with writing down the medical observations he had collected. Due to his ever-growing reputation, he was called to Charles IX, who was plagued by constant insomnia, and he was able to cure him. He was then assigned to the Duke of Anjou, whom he accompanied to the Netherlands. As the expulsion of the French followed this prince's endeavours in Antwerp, Paulmier returned to Normandy. Moréri reports that he also followed the Marshal of Matignon to several sieges and that Henry III showered him with gifts and titles on his return. He was convinced that 'the use of cider cured him of the palpitations that had remained after the days of St Bartholomew, when he had seen several of his friends die and was himself in great danger', and wrote a treatise on cider to recommend this drink, which he believed should be preferred to wine. Adams P115 ; Durling 2797 ; Limacher 392 ; Wellcome 4856; not in Adams, Osler, Waller. Seller Inventory # 68023

Bibliographic Details

Title: Jul. Palmarii Constatnini, Medici ...

Publication Date: 1578

Edition: 1st Edition