Bidspirit auction | [SCIENCE AND MEDICINE] - COSTEO

[SCIENCE AND MEDICINE] - COSTEO Giovanni (1528 - 1603) - 1595. The Art Of Cauterizing - Costeo, Giovanni. ”De igneis medicinae praesidiis libri duo Ioannis Costaei Laudensis, primarij apud Bononienses medicinae professoris”. Venice: apud Rubertum Meiettum, 1595. 4to (195x135 mm), 18th century stiff vellum with handwritten title at spine, sprinkled red edges, ff. [4], pp. 152. Extremely rare first and sole edition of Costeo’s treatise on Cauterizing, in which the author resumes Arabic surgery and the preminence of Cautery over Knife in surgical operations. In this work, significantly entitled by the Italian physician (1528-1603) «The Fire Devices of Medicine», Costeo compares surgical knife and cautery, introduced by Arabic surgeons and notably by Al-Zahrawi (quoted throughout the book with the Latin name of Abulcasis), and he gives to this second tool the preminence, especially because to the action of the cut is associated that of hemostasis. The author explains the various techniques and instruments for cauterization developed and described by Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi in his Al-Tasrif, a cornerstone that continued to influence medical world for five centuries: the present treatise is an important witness of the persistence of Al-Zarahwi’s work in the late Renaissance. According to Arabic medicine, the cautery is employed by Costeo for almost every possible purpose: as a counter-irritant, as a haemostatic, as a bloodless knife, as a means of destroying tumours. Condition: Usual foxing and a water-stain in the upper margin, but a good copy. Provenance: 17th century inscription Dr. Franciscus Ma. Magusa[?] at title-page. References: CNCE 13640. •⁠> This lot is located in and ships from Italy. An Italian export license is required prior to shipment, which may cause delays. The Auction House will take care of the export license at no cost to the buyer. Import duties and taxes in the destination country are the buyer's responsibility.