[4], xxviii, 408 pp. 63 hand-colored engraved plates. (Folio) 18½x12, old calf-backed modern marbled boards, spine gilt, endpapers replaced. First Italian Edition.

Translated from the Paris editions of 1806 and 1825. "Alibert studied for the priesthood with intentions of becoming a teacher. However, this career was ended by the Revolution when all religious orders were disbanded. Influenced by friends in Paris, Alibert turned to the study of medicine and completed his degree with a highly acclaimed thesis on pernicious intermittent fevers. Soon after graduation he was appointed to the staff of the Hôpital St. Louis where his brilliant work brought the hospital to preeminence in the treatment of skin diseases and earned him an historic role as the founder of French dermatology. He developed a classification of skin diseases using Linnaean concepts but it proved to be impractical compared to Willan's classification and was eventually abandoned. Nevertheless, Alibert made important contributions with his descriptions of lupus vulgaris, keloid, dermatolysis, mycosis fungoides, and cutaneous leishmaniasis. Among the terms he coined that remain in use today are: dermatolysis, syphilid, keloid, and dermatosis... Along with Willan, Alibert was a pioneer in illustrating skin diseases and the hand-colored plates in this work are notable from both the medical and artistic standpoint." (Heirs of Hippocrates). Garrison Morton 3986; Heirs of Hippocrates 1219 (both for first edition).