Rare early American medical book with exceptional provenance of prominent Sturbridge father and son physicians with handwritten notations such as “chocolate an excellent food” ; “vegetables the principle of all nourishment” and “opium useful in pains of the head”

Jacob Corey Sr. Was born on March 15, 1754, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, son of John (1716–1783) and Hannah Smith (1718–1803) He was a physician in Sturbridge for over 60 years and studied under Dr. John Frink of Rutland. He married Matilda Walker (1760–1835) on November 15, 1779 in Sturbridge. She was a daughter of Elnathan Walker (1727–1815) and Hannah Bugbee (1740–1810). (Matilda’s grandfather Elnathan Walker (1706-1775) is a 4th generation descendent of Thomas Rogers, a passenger on the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower. He was also Delegate to 2nd Provincial Congress for Dighton, MA. And served in the Revolutionary War.) Jacob Corey died in 1837. The Dr. Jacob Corey House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, as part of the Sturbridge Common Historic District.

Son Dr Jacob Corey Jr (1788–1841) was born in Sturbridge. Educated at Brown University. He married Mary Haines Bullock (1784-1874) in 1813. She was the widow of Benjamin Bullock (d. 1812). As inscribed on front fly leaf as pictured Owned in 1777 by Dr Jacob Corey (Sr), his son Dr Jacob Corey 1807 and JM Fiske 1817. The elder Jacob Cory notes he purchased it from another doctor (?) in Worcester. Perhaps Dr Rice

JM Fiske was Joshua Morse Fiske born September 25, 1795, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, son of Elizabeth Morse (d1839) and Daniel Fiske (1757–1839). Joshua married Mariah Benedict in 1839 in Sturbridge. He removed to New York State presumably to practice medicine. The 1870 census lists his occupation retired physician. He died in 1873, and is laid to rest Forest Hill Cemetery Utica.

First American printing.

Lectures On The Materia Medica ... Now Published By Permission Of The Author, And With Many Corrections From The Collation Of Different Manuscripts By The Editors. By CULLEN, William

[Philadelphia] America : Printed for the subscribers, by Robert Bell, next door to St. Paul's Church, Third-Street, Philadelphia, MDCCLXXV [1775]

Topics include beneficial uses of fruits and vegetables, some of Corey’s handwritten notes: truffles are an aphrodisiac; chestnuts afford copious nourishment, page 85 Chocolate an excellent food; alum good for intermiting fevers, be cautious in the use of iron, polygonatum Solomon’s seal is an astringent, wild chamomile cure for rheumatism, usefulness of bark, external use of opium, opium useful in spasms in the uterus, etc

William Cullen (1710-1790) physician, chemist and agriculturalist, professor at the Edinburgh Medical School. He was a beloved teacher, and many of his students became influential figures. He kept in contact with many of his students, including Benjamin Rush, a central figure in the founding of the United States.

Printer Robert Bell (1732–1784) Bell arrived in Philadelphia from Dublin in 1767. He was a Scottish immigrant to the British colonies in America and became one of many early American printers and publishers active during the years leading up to and through the American Revolution. Bell became widely noted for printing Thomas Paine's celebrated work, Common Sense, a highly influential work during the revolution that openly criticized the British Parliament and their management and taxation of the British-American colonies. Bell established a printing press and shop in Philadelphia in a building which previously housed the Union Library, located next door to Saint Paul's Church. He soon became known as an auctioneer of books, once referring to himself on record in 1774, as a "Professor of Book Auctioneering.”

Condition and notes

512 pages

Scattered contemporary marginalia of medical notes

Homespun reverse calf leather “book cover” over leather boards worn exhibiting minor soiling and loss

Rubbed

The homespun leather “dust jacket” is cut out on spine area to reveal the title! It has wear and minor lids to spine ends; soiling along edges. I would not remove it as it’s been on the book for over 200 years! (The lighter string appears newer, but original stitching on the leather is in good condition) Additional photos on request

Fiske wrote his name on the leather it in 1816.

Soiling to edges

Age toned paper

Corner tips bumped and rubbed

Scattered foxing

Binding sound

Measures approximately 8” by 10” and 2” thick

Scattered browning

The name Fiske written in ink on inside of the leather hand sewn covers which exhibits minor worming strings still holding, offsetting/stains from the leather as pictured

Minor worming to front fly leaf

Not ex library

Minor ink splotches affecting a few pages

Closed 1” tear top page 505 index page

Interior overall good condition

Some filters applied to photos

Additional photos on request

Signature required on delivery