The True Account of all the Transactions before the Right Honourable the Lords, and other the Commissioners for the Affairs of Chelsea Hospital; as far as relates to the Admission and Dismission of SAMUEL LEE, Surgeon, to which is prefixed, A Short Account of the Nature of a RUPTURE

London: J. and P. Knapton in Ludgate-Street, 1754. Boards. Very Good. [1], [1-blank], 65, [1-blank], [1], [1-blank], 32 pages. 13 x 20.5 cm. Original pamphlet enclosed in later thin chipboard covers. Some wear and shallow chipping to covers, tape to spine and lower edge (not necessary but present nonetheless). Inked number and name at top of title page. Soiling to title page, generally bright internally with occasional foxing. Boards. The Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 16 (pp 710-11) contains a full page entry on Ranby, including a list of five works he published. The present one is summarized as: "This work incidentally exposes the methods adopted by a hernia curing quack to whom the government of the day had paid large sums of money."

Further, "Ranby, sergeant surgeon ... put himself apprentice to Edward Barnard foreign brother of the Company of Barber Surgeons on 5 April 1715 paying him the sum of 621 5s Od. On 5 Oct 1722 he was examined touching his skill in surgery. His answers were approved and he was ordered the seal of the Barber Surgeons Company as a foreign brother. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society on 30 Nor 1724. He was appointed surgeon in ordinary to the king's household in 1738 and in 1740 he was promoted sergeant surgeon to George II. He became principal sergeant surgeon in May 1743 and in this capacity accompanied his master in the German campaign of that year. He was present at the battle of Dettingen and there had as a patient the Duke of Cumberland the king's second son. In 1745 Ranby's interest with the king and the government of the day was sufficient to insure the passing of the act of parliament constituting a corporation of surgeons distinct from that of the barbers. His exertions in promoting this separation were rewarded by his nomination as the first master of the newly founded surgeons company an especial favour as he had never held any office in the old and united company of Barber Surgeons...[he] had a large surgical practice...and anticipated by many years the use of quinine."

Scarce, with 5 physical copies in OCLC/Worldcat.