Civiale, Lettres sur la Lithotritie, 1848

Lettres sur la Lithotritie ou l’art de Broyer la Pierre par le Docteur Civiale. Sixieme Lettre. A Paris, Chez J.-B. Bailliere, Libraire de L’Academie Royale de Medecine, 17, rue de l’Ecole-de-Medecine. 1848. 
 
Contemporary half brown leather with marbled boards and gold text on spine. Green page edges. Leather a bit scuffed. Corners bumped and chipped. Hinges strong. Prior owner’s name stamped on title. Corners of end papers toned from contact with the leather corners on the boards. Otherwise, clean, bright, and tight throughout. 
The open letters contained herein are addressed to other eminent medical men, such as Velpeau, Malgaigne, and Roux, among others. 
 
See G-M 4289 for Jean Civiale (1792-1867): “Civiale invented a lithotriteur for crushing stones inside the bladder and was responsible for putting the operation of lithotrity upon a sound basis. His claim to have introduced the operation was opposed by Leroy d’Etoilles and other contemporaries.” 
 
According to the William P. Didusch Center for Urologic History: “After some dispute, credit for the development of the first instrument to break a stone in the bladder of a living patient was given to Civiale. He received an award from the French Academy of Sciences of 6,000 francs in 1826 and the 10,000 franc Montyon Prize in 1887. ... Civiale revolutionized the approach to bladder stones. His instrument, however, was soon superseded by Heurteloup's percussion lithotrite, which paved the way for later crushing lithotrites.” 
 
Ffep, half title/adverts, title, xv, 168, table, rfep.