La Cocaïne en Chirurgie (Cocaine in Surgery) by Dr. Paul Reclus, c.. 1895 | Scientific Encyclopedia of Reference Manuals

"La Cocaïne en Chirurgie (Cocaine in Surgery)" by Dr. Paul Reclus, published circa 1895 in Paris by G. Masson as part of the "Scientific Encyclopedia of Reference Manuals." This French-language medical work explores the use of cocaine in surgical practice, offering a historical perspective on the development of local anesthesia and late nineteenth-century surgery.

Octavo (4.625" x 7.5"). 192 pages, followed by 32 pages of advertisements. Bound in the original light green printed paper wraps with black lettering to the front and rear covers and spine. The spine is cracked at the center, with a missing piece measuring approximately 1" x 0.25" near the foot; the head and foot are chipped with small losses. The rear cover is chipped along the edges without affecting the text. The wraps show general edgewear, soiling, staining, and remnants of a sticker at the foot of the spine. A reddish dampstain extends from the lower corner of the front cover through approximately the first 12 leaves, without affecting the text. The rear advertisements are printed on light green and tan paper, with several uncut pages showing small closed tears. A blue oval library stamp, crossed out in black marker, appears on the verso of the title page and at the head of page 9, accompanied by a February 15, 1921 date. Otherwise, the interior is clean, with several pages remaining uncut.

An intriguing historical medical pamphlet for collectors of French medical literature, the history of anesthesia, and nineteenth-century surgical practice.