Early American Medical Imprints: A Guide to Works Printed in the United States, 1668-1820

Abstract

The History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine has prepared a bibliography of imprints published in the United States before 1821. Robert B. Austin, who has recently retired after 30 years of service to the Library, was largely responsible for the volume. Approximately 70 libraries or societies are the repositories for the items listed, including the Royal College of Surgeons of England. There are several imprints that seem to me especially worthy of note. Undoubtedly, others would compile quite a different list of interests. The activities of county and state medical societies and county and city health departments are well documented in this period. Nine editions of William Cullen's First Lines of the Practice of Physic were published between 1781 and 1816 and 3 editions of his Synopsis of Methodical Nosology between 1783 and 1793. Daniel DeFoe's story of the 1665 epidemic of the plague in London