FAUCHARD (Pierre). Le Chirurgien dentiste, ou Traité des den - Lot 9

FAUCHARD (Pierre). Le Chirurgien dentiste, ou Traité des dents, où l'on enseigne . Paris, 1746. 2 volumes, xxiv-(8)-494-(2 blank) + (12)-425-(19 of which the last blank) pp. in marbled brown basane, ribbed spines with red and beige headpieces, corners and upper headpieces restored, a few epidermal marks on the boards (period binding). CORRECTED AND ENHANCED EDITION, the second of this work, which was completed in 1723 and originally published in 1728. LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE" CONSTITUTES BOTH AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND A MANUAL OF OPERATORY AND PROTHETIC TECHNIQUE, at a time when dentistry was gaining autonomy from surgery in France. It is easy and even pleasant to read, thanks to the lively and vivid observations it contains, and is written in good French rather than Latin. Finally, far from regarding his personal technique as a 'secret', profitable to his family and pupils, he clearly explains all the details of his practice, offering 'the fruit of his care and vigilance' to his colleagues 'as well as to people who care about keeping their mouths in good condition', i.e. to the public" (Michel Dechaume and Pierre Huard, Histoire illustrée de l'art dentaire, Paris, Roger Dacosta, 1977). This immensely successful treatise comprises three parts, devoted to dental pathology, stomatological clinic, surgical technique and prosthetics. THIS 1746 EDITION INCLUDES THE FIRST COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF "SCORBUT DES GENCIVES", AKA "FAUCHARD'S DISEASE" (alveolar-dental pyorrhea, chapter XXII of the first volume). IMPORTANT ENGRAVED ILLUSTRATION ON COPPER: 42 plates out of text depicting teeth, instruments and prostheses. A KEY PERSON IN DENTAL ART IN FRANCE AND EUROPE, PIERRE FAUCHARD (1678-1761) probably began his career as a naval surgeon in war ports, specializing in the treatment of the oral complications of scurvy, He then practiced in Angers, Nantes, Rennes and Tours, before settling in Paris in 1719, where he WAS RECOGNIZED, THE FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF FRANCE, AS MASTER "EXPERT FOR TEETH" BY THE CAPITAL COMMUNITY OF SURGEONS. Although he considered tooth decay to be an inflammation, an odontitis, Pierre Fauchard shattered the ancient belief in dental worms and saw the connection between dental caries and certain cysts. He was concerned with dental hygiene, advised against the use of hard brushes and excessively abrasive powders, gave his own formulas for powders, pastes and toothpastes, issued a contrasting opinion on tobacco, exposed the dangers of sugar, was the first to state clearly the principles of orthodontics, was one of the pioneers of bridgework, was one of the first to use suitable instruments for trimming the cavity in cases of caries, and made improvements to the palatal obturators invented by Abraham Zacuto. Provenance: "Bois de Limbourg" (old manuscript bookplate on verso of second volume's faux-title); Dr. Carré, dentist (modern bookplate, in margin of titles, one scratched).