The Gold-Headed Cane [Biographical sketches of John Radcliffe, Richard Mead, Antony Askew, David Pitcairn, and Matthew Baillie]

London: John Murray, Albemarle-Street, 1827. First Edition. Cloth. Fine/Recounts the , successively in possession of the Georgian physicians John Radcliffe, Richard Mead, Anthony Askew, David Pitcairn, and Matthew Baillie, and then returned to a glass case in the library of London's Royal College of Physicians. "A gold-headed cane was once a conspicuous part of the physician's adornment, and the particular gold-headed cane of this work was owned by Dr. John Radcliffe (1650-1714), an irascible London physician, who passed it on to a younger contemporary. The custom of passing on the cane continued through a series of five physicians, ending with Matthew Baillie, whose widow presented it to the Royal College of Physicians in 1823. The originally anonymous book is written as an 'autobiography' of the cane and, in a series of charming essays, tells the story—actually biographies—of its several owners. Along the way there is much information concerning the state of medicine and its practice in England during the eighteenth century." (Heirs of Hippocrates) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed.. An untrimmed, wide-margined copy of these adventures of a famous cane. Crown 8vo (200 x 120mm): [8],179,[1]pp, with title-page vignette and numerous woodcuts (mostly of portraits busts and coats of arms) in text. Recently bound in light gray paper-covered boards, with off-white paper title label printed in black to spine. Very occasional light foxing, few finger-soiled page margins, else Near Fine or better, tightly bound copy. Allibone, v. II, p. 1192. Heirs of Hippocrates 1397. Garrison-Morton 6709. Osler 6717. Waller 16091. Cushing M48. Recounts the "lives" of a gold-headed cane, successively in possession of the Georgian physicians John Radcliffe, Richard Mead, Anthony Askew, David Pitcairn, and Matthew Baillie, and then returned to a glass case in the library of London's Royal College of Physicians. "A gold-headed cane was once a conspicuous part of the physician's adornment, and the particular gold-headed cane of this work was owned by Dr. John Radcliffe (1650-1714), an irascible London physician, who passed it on to a younger contemporary. The custom of passing on the cane continued through a series of five physicians, ending with Matthew Baillie, whose widow presented it to the Royal College of Physicians in 1823. The originally anonymous book is written as an 'autobiography' of the cane and, in a series of charming essays, tells the story—actually biographies—of its several owners. Along the way there is much information concerning the state of medicine and its practice in England during the eighteenth century." (Heirs of Hippocrates) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed.