Skip to Content

STENO, NICOLAI (NIELS STENSEN).

Observationes Anatomicae. - [THE FOUNDATION OF THE STUDY OF GLANDS AS A SCIENCE]

Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn53846
Lugduni [Leiden], Jacobum Chouët, 1662. 12mo. Partly uncut in a nice later full calf binding (19th century?) with five raised bands and gilt lettering to spine. Hinges with a bit of wear and small piece of leather lacking on top of spine. Vague previous owner's name in contemporary hand to lower part of title-page. Ex-libris pasted on to pasted down front end-paper. Vague traces after stamp on p. 108. A fine copy. (12), 108 pp. + 3 folded plates.

The rare first edition of Steno's early and first major discovery, being the findings of the 3 main Ducts and glands of the eye, the mouth and the nose, among these the first account of the excretory duct of the parotid gland now named "Stensen's Duct". He correctly stated that the true purpose of the glands was to secrete fluid and "with [the present work] Nicolaus Steno had established the study of glands as a science". (Snorrason). His careful dissections of animal, and later human, brains were revolutionary. He demonstrated that tears are secrated by specific glands, thus striking a deadly blow to the ancient notion of cerebral excretion, even disproving the speculations of scholars such as Descartes, who believed that the corpus pineale (a brain gland) was the connecting point between soul and body.Steno arrived in Holland in March 1660 and was given lodging by the city's physician Gerad Blaes (Latin: Blasius) who himself had studied in Copenhagen and was a friend of Thomas Bartholin. A year later Steno wrote in a letter to Bartholin: "After I had been given leave by Blasius to dissect on my own in the museum, I bought a sheep's-head in order to examine the brain. I happened to decide to investigate first the course of the veins and arteries at the mouth by introducing a probe into the vessels. I suddenly discovered that the point of the probe was moving freely in a spacious cavity and struck with a ringing sound against the teeth. Surprised at this, I called my host to hear his opinion. Blasius first said that it was due to force, then that it was one of nature's frequent freaks, and finally he looked up Wharton's book, but found no explanation there". Shortly thereafter, Steno repeated the investigation on a dog and confirmed, "there was a duct leading from the gland by the ear to the oral cavity, of a similar kind to the duct from the submaxillary gland found by the English man Thomas Wharton (1610-1673) a few years previously and described in his book Adenographia 1656. Steno was now certain that the gland was a salivary gland and not, as Wharton said in his book and as had been believed for some 1500 year, a kind of sponge intended to absorb surplus materials from the hard rami of the fifth pair of nerves, carry these back to the veins, warm up the outer and inner ear, and fill up the hollow around them." (Snorrason). "This discovery led Stensen to consider every fluid in the body as a glandular secretion. He then found a series of glands furnishing fluid to each of the body cavities. He likewise sought the afferent and efferent ducts of secretion. Stensen still used the name "lymph" for all watery glandular secretions, because he was not yet able to differentiate between them and to specify them chemically and physiologically. In the course of this basic research Stensen presented in his Leiden dissertation new discoveries of glands in the cheeks; beneath the tongue; and in the palate, whose structure of veins, arteries, nerves, and lymph vessels he also described. In his Observationes anatomicae (1662), dealing with his new discoveries concerning the glands, he described the lachrymal apparatus in great detail." DSB 13, 33. "Niels Stensen remains one of the most notable scientists in the history of anatomy. His method based on dissection and experiment enabled him to make significant contribution to the understanding of structure and function of human body. Like many successful scientists he was able to make the most of the rather serendipitous discovery of the parotid duct early in his career, soon expanding his research focus into new areas." (Strkalj, Niels Stensen and the Discovery of the Parotid Duct)."In the physiology his researches into the anatomy of the glands led to his discovery of the [duct of] parotid gland, one of the three salivary glands near the ear, into the mouth, is still named "Steno's duct."" (PMM 151)Osler 4018Garrison & Morton 973Waller 9226Heirs of Hippocrates 393Norman 2010Snorrason 1662(PMM 151)
Address:
Silkegade 11
DK-1113 Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone:
CVR/VAT:
DK 16 89 50 16

Recently Added From Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S

Regras methódicas para se aprender a escreuer o…
More Photos
VENTURA DA SILVA, JOAQUIM JOSE.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62100
Lisboa, Officina de Simão Thaddeo Ferreira, 1803. Folio-oblong (365 x 255 mm). In contemporary half calf. Wear to extremies, upper part of spine with loss of leather. Ex-libris pasted on to pasted down front end-paper. With, primarily marginal, brownspotting throughout. Dampstain to inner margin and upper outer margin of last 10 ff. 32 ff. Rare first edition of the most celebrated Portuguese treatise on calligraphy. Joaquim José Ventura da Silva (1777–1849), regarded as one of Portugal's finest calligraphers and teachers of writing, composed this methodological guide to handwriting in which he combines a historical survey of scripts used in Portugal with practical instruction for teaching and learning penmanship.Ventura da Silva is reffered to by Innocencio (Diccionario Bibliographico) as "one of the best Portuguese Calligraphers". A second edition was published in 1819, a third in 1841, and a facsimile was published in Porto in 1899.
More info
John Locke et les philosophes francais. La…
More Photos
SCHØSLER, JØRN.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62682
Oxford (Voltaire Foundation), 1997. 8vo. In the original blue cloth publisher's binding with gilt title to spine. With the original dust jacket. Ownership signature to inside of front board. Internally clean. VIII, 183 pp.
Minne af von Linné, fader och son. 2 parts.
More Photos
EDIN, SV.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62673
Stockholm, Nordström, 1808. 8vo. In contemporary half calf. Wear to extremities, upper half of spine partly detached. Inner hinges split. With light brownspotting throughout. (8), 136, 102, (10) pp. + 2 engraved portraits and 2 engraved plates, of which one is folded. First edition. The volume is divided into two sections entitled “von Linné den äldre” and “von Linné den yngre.” The first contains the panegyric on Linnaeus delivered at the Växjö gymnasium on the occasion of the Linnaean centenary. The second opens with a memoir of Linnaeus the Younger, followed by “Historiska upplysningar till Carl von Linné den äldres lefverne” Soulsby 2647.
More info
Udvikling af Læren om Interessentskab og de samme…
More Photos
BANG, P. G.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62669
Kjøbenhavn, Seidelin, 1829 & 1833. 8vo. Three parts in two volumes, both in the original green paper covered boards. With author's presentation to Danish Professor in Low F. C. Bornemann in both volumes. Wear to spines and scratches to boards. Internally very nice and clean, printed on good paper. (2), 182 pp.; 134 pp. Presentation copy of the rare first edition of P. G. Bang’s seminal work, Udvikling af Læren om Interessentskab og de samme nærmest vedkommende Retsforhold – the very first Danish treatment of the subject, and a milestone in Scandinavian legal history. This pioneering study is regarded as the first jurisprudential exposition of corporate law in Denmark anticipating later systematic treatments of partnership and company legislation. His work established a legal-theoretical foundation for the understanding of partnership agreements, shareholders’ relations and the broader legal framework governing commercial associations. The copy was given by Bang to F.C. Bornemann, a Danish legal professor at the University of Copenhagen from 1840 to 1861, primarily known for applying philosophical methods to legal science. He was influenced by contemporary German philosophers, notably Hegel, in his work on legal philosophy. Peter Georg Bang (1797 – 1861) was a Danish politician and jurist. He served as the Prime Minister of Denmark 1854–1856
More info
The True Watch and Rule of Life or a direction…
More Photos
BRINSLEY, JOHN.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn61602
London, Humphrey Robinson, 1648. 8vo. In contemporary full calf with triple ruled fillets to boards. Wear and soiling to extremities. Missing leather on upper part of spine and lower front corner of spine. Prevvious owner's name to title-page. Internally with marginal dampstaining throughout. A few leaves with tears and a hole. (18), 205, (8), 251 pp.
Planternes Metamorphose. Fire Forelæsninger af K.…
More Photos
MARTIUS, P. v.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62468
Kjøbenhavn, 1840. 8vo. In recent blue boards. Nice and clean. 80 pp. First Danish translation of Martius' Metamorphosis of Plants. Martius is famous for outlining the modern classification of palms and prepared the first maps of palm biogeography.