Schenck was the greatest compiler of his day. His Observationes form the easiest source-book for the pathological observations of Sylvius, Vesalius, and Columbus, and represent a lifetime of medical reading and experience. They were first published at Basle, 1584-97.

Casseri, originally a servant to Fabrizio, was personally trained by his employer and eventually succeeded to Fabrizio’s chair of anatomy. Like Fabrizio, who studied the development of the chick for clues to human embryology, Casseri endeavored to explain the human larynx and ear by reference to the lower animals. He investigated the structure of the auditory and vocal organs in most of the domestic animals. The book includes a description of the larynx more accurate than that of any previous author, and is also notable for its fine copperplate engravings, masterpieces of anatomical art. The elaborate engraved title page is particularly spectacular. Translation of chap. I-VIII , The larynx, organ of voice by Malcolm H. Hast and Erling B. Holtsmark with preface and anatomical notes in Acta otol. (Stockh.),1969, Suppl. 261.

An encyclopedic work on ancient and contemporary medical, scientific and juridical opinion on premature birth and the period of gestation. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

A classical work on prognosis. English translation, London, 1746.

Describing approximately 100 new species, the Rariorum plantarum historia gathers accounts from Clusius’s earlier botanical tours of Spain (Rariorum aliquot stirpium per Hispanias observatarum historia, 1576) and Austria and Hungary (Rariorum aliquot stirpium per Pannoniam, Austriam, et vicinas quasdam provincias observatarum historia, 1583) with extensive new material. Particularly notable are descriptions of tulips, which Clusius had introduced to the Netherlands with the establishment of the hortus academicus at Leiden in 1593, and the first printing of the Fungorum in Pannoniis observatorum brevis historia, the first treatise dedicated exclusively to mycology. The work includes 1109 woodcuts.

Digital facsimile from bibldigital.rjb.csic.es at this link.

The first attempt at a classification of diseases according to symptoms. Over a period of 50 years Platter dissected more than 300 bodies and made many observations of value to pathological anatomy.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

First mention of Santorio’s pulse-clock (“pulsilogium”) and his scale. Through most of the 17th and 18th centuries Santorio’s name was linked with that of Harvey as the greatest figure in physiology and experimental medicine because of his introduction of precision instruments for quantitative studies. He was also the founder of modern metabolic research.

Fabricius, teacher of Harvey at Padua, discovered the venous valves, and illustrated them in life-size copperplates in this monograph. He failed to recognize their true function, however, considering their function simply to delay blood flow. Fabricius's work must have influenced Harvey to direct his experimental efforts toward an accurate explanation of the function of the venous valves. This line of research eventually led Harvey to develop an accurate knowledge of how the circulation worked. Facsimile edition, with English translation, edited by K. J. Franklin, 1933. Digital facsimile of the 1603 edition from di.mospace.umsystem.edu at this link.

Ingrassia is by some accredited with the discovery of the stapes; he also observed the sound-conducting capacity of the teeth.

Sassonia emphasized the importance of the pulse in diagnosis, and provided the first recorded description of heart block. Pages 57-61 contain graphic representations of the pulse using dashes of unequal length. Digital facsimile of the 1603 edition from Google Books at this link.

An earlier version was published in an unauthorized collection of the author's writings: Tractatus triplex: De fefrium [sic] putridarum signis et symptomatibus: De pulsibus: et de urinis ... e dictantis ejus ore exceptus, in certa quaedam capita redactus praeloque commissus a Petro Uffenbachio: accessit ejusdem doctrina ... de lue venerea seu morbo Gallico (1600). Digital facsimile of the 1600 edition from Google Books at this link.

Demonstration (Cap. I, p. 587-91) that some people who cannot hear by air conduction can do so by bone conduction.

Paracelsus was the first to note the coincidence of cretinism and endemic goitre. It was not until the 19th century that the possibility of the occurrence of cretinism in adults was entertained. Partial English translation in No. 2241

The collection, recording, and publishing of medical statistics in the form of Bills of Mortality began in England as a result of the epidemic of plague in 1592-93. The earliest surviving copy of the Bills of Mortality is True bill of the vvhole number that hath died at London. Printed by I.R[oberts]. for Iohn Trundle, and are to be sold at his shop in Barbican, neere Long lane end, [1603] 1 sheet ([1] p.) ;c1⁰. STC (2nd ed.), 16743 1-3. For further details see the entry at HistoryofInformation.com at this link.

The first treatise on gynecology written by a Portuguese author, the work was written in two parts: Part one, about theory, was titled De natura mulierum (On female nature) and was divided into four books: (1) Anatomy of the uterus and the breasts; (2) Semen and menstruation; (3) Intercourse, conception, and pregnancy; (4) Childbirth and breastfeeding. Part two, titled De morbis mulierum (On female diseases) was more practical in nature, but was also divided into four books: (1) Diseases common to all women; (2) Diseases of widows and virgins; (3) Diseases related to generation and pregnancy; (4) Puerperal and wetnurses’ diseases.

In exploring issues in physiology and anatomy, embryology, conception, sex, pregnancy, abortion, infertility, childbirth, monstrous beings, etc de Castro evaluated classical and Arabic traditional thinking on these subjects in the writings of Hippocrates, Aristotle, Pliny, Soranus, Galen, Averroes, Avicenna, etc., He also established a multivocal dialogue between traditional ideas and new ideas, engaging with the work of more contemporary authors such as Du Laurens, Amato Lusitano, Mercado, Akakia, Paré, Rousset, Mercuriale and others. 

Digital facsimile of the 1604 edition from Google Books at this link.

Jorden was the first English physician who viewed women accused of witchcraft as unfortunate persons suffering from some medical condition. "Asserting that there were natural causes for their afflictions, Jorden often served as expert witness at trials of women accused of witchery. His arguments did not always persuade the judges, however. One Elizabeth Jackson, accused of causing the fits suffered by Mary Glover, was convicted in spite of Jorden's defense. Jorden (1603) called the disorder manifested in Jackson (and in the majority of supposed witches) by two terms: hysterical, and strangulatus uteri, or "suffocation of the mother" (mother here being an old-fashioned term for the uterus), since a choking in the throat was a common accompaniment. Jorden was impressed by the panoply and ever-shifting quality of symptoms associated with this condition: now shortness of breath, now palpitations, now paralysis, and so on. He was also aware that the hysterical "fits" might occur with varying regularity: yearly, monthly, or even weekly." (Wikipedia article on Edward Jorden, accessed 9-2021).

Digital facsimile of a photocopy from Google Books at this link.

Fabricius wrote at great length on embryology, inventing many theories, some of which were false. His illustrations marked a great advance on previous work. Fabricius recorded for the first time the dissection of several embryos. Facsimile reprint with translation by H. B. Adelmann, 1942.

Fabricius’s most important work; it was the best collection of case-records available for many years. Among other things, Fabricius used a magnet to extract an iron splinter from the eye – an idea suggested to him by his wife – and he described the first field-chest of drugs for army use. He was first to remove a gallstone from a living patient (1618).

Schenck compiled the first bibliography of gynecology, entitled Pinax auctorum in re medica, Graecorum, Latinorum priscorum, Arabum Latinobarbarorum, Latinorum recentiorum, tum & peregrinis liniguis cluentium, Exstantium, MS. promissorum vel desidetatorum: qui gynaecia, sive muliebria plento argumento sive ex instituto scriptis exceluerunt & illustrarunt. It covered writings on the subject from the earliest times to the beginning of the 17th century. This he appended to his posthumous first edition of Guinter’s treatise on gynecology. Neither Guinter's nor Schenck's work was particularly long; the entire book contains 56 pages, of which Schenck's bibliography occupies pp. 37-56. Digital facsimile of the author's presentation copy to H. Rapp from the Internet Archive at this link.

First book devoted entirely to burns. Fabry was the first to classify burns.

Translated into English by John Steer as:

Gulielm, Fabricius Hildamus, his experiments in chyrurgerie concerning combustions or burnings made with gun powder, iron shot, hot-water, lightning, or any other fiery matter whatsoever : in which is excellently described the differences, signs, prognostication and cures, of all accidents and burning themselves : very necessary and useful for all gentlemen, and soldiers as well of the trayned bands, as others, especially upon sudden occasions / translated out of Latine by Iohn Steer, Chyrurgeon. London: Printed by Barnard Alsop...., 1642. Full text of the 1642 edition from quod.lib.umich.edu at this link.

Concerns medicine of the Aztecs, etc. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

An entirely etched book of 40 leaves, drawn and etched by Fialetti, this was probably the first printed manual on drawing the human body, as distinct from earlier manuals on anatomy for artists. For further information see the entry at HistoryofInformation.com at this link. Digital facsimile from the Getty Research institute, Internet Archive, at this link.

Text by Robin, illustrations by Vallet. "The first important florilegium," (Blunt, The art of botanical illustration, 89-91). Digital facsimile from BnF Gallica at this link.

An early historical record of goitre which du Laurens maintained was contagious. Du Laurens was at one time physician to Henri IV.

The first book on obstetrics published by a midwife. Louise Bourgeois was accoucheuse to the French court. She was one of the pioneers of scientific midwifery; her Observations was the vade mecum of contemporary midwives. She induced premature labor in patients with contracted pelvis, an idea probably derived from Paré.

Actual origin of the so–called “Mauriceau” manoeuvre, usually credited to Mauriceau (No. 6147). Guillemeau was not only responsible for this technique for delivery of the after coming head so important before the forceps and Caesarian section, but he was also the first to employ podalic version in placenta praevia. English translation, London, 1612.

Schenck described nearly 100 human and animal examples, illustrated with engravings by Theodor de Bry (1528-98). Most of the examples are from the 16th century. Not all the cases are teratological in the strictest sense as Schenck includes a discussion, with illustrations, of the painter and calligrapher Thomas Schweicker (1541-1602), who was born without arms, and wrote and painted with his feet. Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

Written in verse, this is the first catalogue of a private botanical garden published in France, and the first book that could be called a French catalogue of a natural history museum.

Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.