LE GRAND THRESOR, OU DISPENSAIRE, ET ANTIDOTAIRE TANT GENERAL QUE SPECIAL, OU PARTICULIER DES REMEDES SERVANS À LA SANTÉ DU CORPS HUMAIN: DRESSÉ EN LATIN ... ET DEPUIS FAIT FRANCOIS ET ENRICHI D'ANNOTATIONS & NOTTES ... AVEC UNE BRIEFVE ET FACILE METHODE D'EXTRAIRE LES FACULTÉS DES MEDICAMENTS PURGATIFS

Cologny [Geneva], Estienne Gamonet, 1616. Hardcover. Bound in modern vellum. 8vo, [14] pages+ 286 columns, [14] pages+1336 columns. In French. TItle translates as "The Grand Thresor, or Dispensary, and antidotary both general and special, or particular of remedies serving the health of the human body. [Originally] Presented in Latin and Now Translated into French and Enriched with Annotations & Notes ... With a Brief and Easy Method of Extracting Faculties From Purgative Medicines." Not in Caillet, Ferguson; Krivatsy 1259 (1609), Duveen, 613 (1609). Two volumes bound together, as issued, with separate title pages. Includes tables, charts and illustrations. One of the most prolific pharmacopoeia of his time, mixing medical prescriptions and alchemy. An important early 17th Century treatise in two parts, one dealing with alchemy and the other with pharmacopoeia; this French translation wasproduced by Jean Du Val, doctor of Issoudun. The work describes a number of pharmaceutical preparations: oils that beautify the face, potions to moisten the stomach, waters that warm the chest, cerates, scents, tablets. At the end a short and easy method "d'extraire les vertus et facultez des medicaments purgatifs et de separer les formes des metaux et mineraux" ("to extract the virtues and facilitate purgative drugs and to separate the forms of metals and minerals"). The author, "Johannes Jacob Wecker was a Swiss physician and philosopher. He worked as a doctor from 1566 and wrote a number of works about medicine, some of which were in both French and Latin. Doubtless fleeing accusations of sorcery, Wecker moved to Basel after having published Les Secrets de Wecker. For a number of years, he worked as a professor of logic at the local university. He published Antidotarum generale, a work about alchemy. His work is known for the elaborate bibliography on chemistry-alchemy. He also reported the first known case of diphallia." (wikipedia) OCLC: 14298187, OCLC lists 9 copies worldwide. Faint blindstamps on blank endpapers. A few period notes in 17th Century hand on title page; ink has burned through paper in one small blank area, small hole on title page. Six pages in final essay on mineral and metals extraction include period marginalia. Worming to upper margin of 30 leaves, in a few cases just touching the top chapter title text. Some light staining to pages, Very Good Condition Overall. (Med-1-6).