Orfila, Poisons and Apparent Death, 1818
A Popular Treatise on the Remedies to be Employed in Cases of Poisoning and Apparent Death; Including the Means of Detecting Poisons, of Distinguishing Real from Apparent Death, and of Ascertaining the Adulteration of Wines. By M. P. Orfila, Physician to the King; Corresponding Member of the Institute; Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Anthenaeum; Professor of Medical Jurisprudence, &c. &c. Author of General Toxicology; of the Elements of Chemistry applied to Medicine, &c. Translated from the French, under the Inspection of the Author, By William Price, M.D. Philadelphia: Published by Solomon W. Conrad, No. 87, Market Street. Clark & Raser, Printers. 1818.
Full contemporary marbled brown leather boards with red title label on spine. Corners bumped. Leather a bit scuffed at joints. Foot of spine has suffered a bit of loss. Dr. R. H. Awl (?) of Gratztown 1842 penciled provenance on front pastedown, ffep, and a couple other leaves. Hinges cracking. Foxing, toning, and damp stain.
Prelims bound out of sequence. Title, blank, v/vi, iii/iv, i - viii, vi –xiii, 9 – 170 (8).
First American edition. First Paris edition was 1816 as Secours à donner aux personnes empoisonnées ou asphyxiées. A London English edition translated by R. H. Black was also published in 1818.
See Heirs 1432 and 1433: Matthieu Joseph Bonaventure Orfila (1787-1853) "Orfila, a native of Minorca, studied at Valencia and Barcelona and was graduated at Paris in 1811. He was named professor of medicine at Paris in 1819 and became dean of the faculty in 1831. An eminent toxicologist, Orfila was also active as an epidemiologist and public hygienist. He was one of the founders of the Académie de Médecine in Paris and is considered by many authorities to be the founder of modern medico-legal toxicology."
"The present work concerns the provision of assistance to victims of poison or asphyxiation. After the publication of this first edition, the book appeared in four more editions and was translated into English, German, French, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Orfila includes an early description of endotracheal intubation and gives explicit directions for performing the procedure using a tube developed by François Chaussier."
