Notes of lectures by Bernhard Siegfried Albinus (1697-1770) on anatomy and physiology

Notes of lectures on anatomy and physiology by Bernhard Albinus, no doubt delivered at the medical school at Leyden, transcribed by an unknown English-speaking medical student. With notes on 'Hogarth's analysis of beauty' written from the rear of the volume. This appears to be a record of a secondary course of lectures, as implied by the title 'Supplementum ad Albini Dictata' (f.1); there is certainly much less than would be expected from a full course of anatomical and physiological lectures, even accounting for the fact that the beginning of the transcript seems to be wanting. These may be notes taken directly in the lecture theatre, or more likely perhaps copied from an earlier exemplar. The original lectures from which the notes derive seem to have been delivered in the late 1720s, as at one stage (f.38) Albinus refers to a drawing 'recently' published by Palfinus (ie in Anatomie du corps humain by Jean Palfyn, Paris, 1726, book 1, plate 8). However, the hand is consistent with the English hand at the back of the volume, and since Hogarth's Analysis of beauty was published in 1753 this suggests a later date.

Mid 18th Century

64 ff. (some blanks) 1 volume, largely disbound: approx.190 x 120 mm. Remains of marbled paper covers

Purchased from Dr John M T Ford, November 2006

For a transcript of Albinus's full course of physiological lectures dating from c.1760 see Wellcome WMSS.864-868