Read, Chirurgorum Comes, 1686/7

Chirurgorum comes: Or The Whole Practice Of Chirurgery. Begun by the Learned Dr. Read; Continued and Completed By a Member of the College of Physicians in London. Licensed, Feb. 15. 1686/7. London. Printed by Edw. Jones, for Christopher Wilkinson at the Black Boy in Fleet street, over against St. Dustans Church, 1687. 
Contains the first English summaries of two landmark publications in forensic medicine and plastic surgery. 
415-473 Is a summary of Forunato Fidele’s De Relationibus Medicorum (published in Palermo in 1602), making this an early English chapter on forensic medicine.  
Book II contains an English summary of Gaspare Tagliocozzi’s (11545-1599) method of rhinoplasty. No complete translation existed at the time of the publication of the Chirurgorum Comes. 
The book also contains an appendix on embalming the dead. 
“Alexander Read (Rhead, Reid), anatomist and surgeon, born probably prior to 1580, was educated t Aberdeen University and studied medicine in Germany and France. … He enjoyed great repute among his contemporaries, particularly for his book on anatomy. Read died in 1641, forty-six years before the publication of the Chirurgorum comes, and the use of his name by the unknown compiler of this work indicates the respect his name still commanded. Among the many medical books which Read left to Marischal College, Aberdeen, was a copy of Tagliacozzi’s De curtorum chirurgia. Thus, though the translation in the Chirurgorum comes was made by the compiler, its inclusion reflects Read’s own interest in the subject.” (Gnudi & Webster) 
Speckled brown leather paneled binding (probably 20th century). Gold title and raised bands on spine. Spine sunned. Corners a bit bumped. A few minor scuffs of leather. Later end papers. Prior dealer’s penciled notes on front paste down and ffep. Old library stamp on title. Old stamp and penned mark on blank verso of title. Mild toning and scattered marginal stains as well as smudges affecting text. Marginal damp stain of plate just barely involving image. Ink stains affecting bottom two lines of text on pg 216 & 217. More advanced damp stain near front of book and top of final quire. A few unobtrusive pencil markings in margins of first few books. Rare minute tears at top corners, not involving text. Bookmark from prior owner, and prior dealer’s description tucked into book. 
Includes plate of surgical instruments (opposite page 1; as called for) 
Ffep, Title – A^4, a^8, plate, B – Yy^8, rfep 
Ffep, title (22) plate, 714, rfep.