FLOYER, John (1649-1734). A Treatise of the Asthma, London, 1698, small 8vo, some leaves mis-bound [see full description], but all present, later calf. FIRST EDITION. RARE.

[FLOYER, John (1649-1734)].  A Treatise of the Asthma. Divided into Four Parts. In the First is given A History of the fits ... In the Second, The Cacochymia which disposes to the Fit ... In the Third, The Accidental Causes of the Fit ... In the Fourth, The Cure of the Asthma Fit, and the Method of Preventing it is Proposed. To which is annext a Digression about the several Species of Acids distinguish'd by their Tastes. London: Printed for Richard Wilkin, 1698. Small 8vo (157 x 100mm). Title within double rule border, with "Postscript. Some Reflexions on the Dissection of the Broken Winded Mare" (R1-[R4], i.e. pp.241-247) bound after "To the Reader", with b2-[b3] ("To the Reader. A Scheme of the several Species of the Asthmas") inserted between p.244 and 245 [as found in another copy in the trade], but all leaves present (a few short tears at margin of title, small piece torn away from lower margin of A3, a few small holes occasionally affecting text, variable mainly marginal browning, spotting and staining throughout, a few darker spots). Later calf, spine with red morocco lettering-piece (some staining, lightly rubbed). Provenance: From the Collection of Professor Jonathan Brostoff, D.M., D.Sc., FRCP, FRCPath (1934-2020); John Bostock (old signature at head of title, probably that of John Bostock (1773-1846), one of the first chemical pathologists); unidentified old institutional stamp and pencil number with initials "M.B." on title and at head of the Preface. FIRST EDITION. RARE. "The work on asthma is ... very noteworthy, not only as containing excellent clinical observations, but as giving the first account, derived from dissection, of the change in the lungs now called emphysema, which is found in one of the forms of asthma as then understood. This observation, which has been often quoted in modern text-books, was made not on the human subject, but on a broken-winded mare. Floyer clearly distinguishes spasmodic asthma (from which he himself suffered), and assigns for it the same cause as do most modern authorities, viz. : 'contraction of the muscular fibres of the bronchia'. His other medical writings are less important" (DNB). Garrison & Morton 3166: "Floyer himself suffered from asthma for over 30 years. He recognised the influence of heredity in asthma. The above [work] includes (p.239) an important early account of emphysema."