Therapeutices universalis; seu medendi rationis, libri septem. Quam totius medicinae tertiam secit partem, ad praxim perutilem & necessariam

The first systematic treatise on pathology that also introduced the names for the sciences of pathology and physiology. In the second part, entitled “Pathologia,” Fernel provides the first systematic essay on the subject, methodically discussing the diseases of each organ. Fernel was the first to describe appendicitis, endocarditis, etc. He believed aneurysms to be produced by syphilis and differentiated true from false aneurysms. He was physician to Henry II of France and his wife Catherine de Medici.

Condition and treatment: This is a 16^th century limp vellum binding. The textblock is sewn onto alum tawed supports and are laced into the vellum cover. Three of the five supports are broken along the front cover and the cover is beginning to detach. The first two endsheets are missing, exposing the title page as the first leaf. The edges of the textblock are heavily worn and folded at the corners. Twenty leaves within the binding with pronounced marginalia inscription suffer from paper loss due to pest damage, making them difficult to handle. Conservation staff will surface clean the paper, humidify and flatten folded corners, repair the cover attachment and fill paper losses throughout the textblock leaves. A cloth covered custom enclosure will be constructed to protect the covers from warping.