(Jean Astruc, “On Venereal Diseases,—Six books. In which is discussed the Origin, Propagation and Contagion of these Maladies generally; secondly the Nature, Etiology and Therapeutics of the same individually; together with a brief Analysis and Appreciation of most of the Works dealing with this Subject.” Paris 1736. XVIII, 20, 628, 50 pp. 4to. Paris (pirated edition, Bâle) 1738. 4to.—Translated by Will. Borrowby, Lond. 1737. 8vo.—Second Edition: “On Venereal Diseases,—IX books.” Paris 1740. 4to. Vol. I. pp. XXXVI, 608. (Contains also Dissertation I, “On the Origin, Nomenclature, Nature and Treatment of Venereal Diseases amongst the Chinese”, pp. DXXXVII-DLXVI). Vol. II. pp. 537-1196. (Our citations refer to this Edition).—Paris 1743, Vols. I-IV. 12mo. The first 4 books were translated into French by Boudon and Aug. Franc. Jault. Paris. 1740. 12mo, Vols. I-III.—Third Edition enlarged by Jo. Astruc and Ant. Louis. Paris 1755. Vols. I-IV. 12mo. Pirated edition, at Venice 1760. 4to., with addition by Gerardi van Swieten, “Epistolae Duae de Mercurio sublimato” (Two Letters concerning Mercury Sublimate), and Jos. Mar. Xav. Bertini, “Diss. de usu Mercurii”. (Dissertation on the Use of Mercury).—Translated by Sam. Chapmann. Lond. 1755. 8vo.; in German by Joh. Gottlob Heise. Frankfort and Leipzig 1784, large 8vo.—Fourth Edition: Paris 1773. Vols. I-IV. 12mo.—Fifth Edition, edit. Ant. Louis. Paris 1777. Vols. I-IV. 12mo).
To Astruc belongs the credit of having been the first who began to collect on a comprehensive plan and to sift the material for a history of the Venereal Diseases that had been accumulating for Centuries. His historical results are imperfect and one-sided, in so far as they are directed solely to maintaining the American origin; but at the same time his chronological Review of the Writers from 1475 to 1740 is even now almost indispensable, as he gives comprehensive Extracts from all the Works that were at his disposal, that fill the whole of the second Volume of his Book. Down to Hensler, almost all later Historians owe to him their Bibliography of Authorities, though they are not always honest enough to specify the mine from which they drew their knowledge. According to Bertrandi, “Treatise on the Venereal Diseases”, transl. from the Italian by C. H. Spohr, Vol. I. p. 44. Note k., Astruc has copied almost the whole of the first book of this Work, without naming the Author(!?), from: Charles Thuillier, “Observations sur les maladies vénériennes avec leur cure sûre et facile, lettres sur les accidents, l’origine et les progrès de la vérole,” (Observations on the Venereal diseases, with a sure and easy method of cure: Letters on the Symptoms, Origin and Progress of the Pox.) Paris 1707. pp. 211-261. 8vo.
Christoph Girtanner, Abhandlung über die venerische Krankheit. I. Bd. Götting. 1788. 459 S, II. und III. Bd. 1789. 933 S. gr. 8. Zweite Ausgabe 1793. III Bde. gr. 8.—Dritte Ausgabe vom I. Bde. 1796.—Vierte Ausgabe vom I. Bde., mit Zusätzen und Anmerkungen herausgegeben von Ludw. Christoph Wilh. Cappel 1803. XVI. 455 S. gr. 8. (Christoph Girtanner, “Treatise on the Venereal Disease.” I Vol; Göttingen 1788. pp. 459, II and III Vols. 1789. pp. 933. large 8vo.—Third edition of Vol. I. 1796.—Fourth edition of Vol. I., edited with Addition and Notes by Ludw. Christoph Wilh. Cappel, 1803. pp. XVI, 455. large 8vo.).
In the First Volume the Author gives, Bk. I. Pt. 1. pp. 1-57, a history of the Venereal disease, in which he employs every possible artifice and perversion of the facts in his endeavour to prove the American origin of the Disease. In the Second and Third Vols. (in which the pages run on continuously, pp. 808) he gives a general review of all the Works that have appeared on Venereal disease from 1595 to 1793, the total—including Supplements—amounting to 1912. As far as Astruc served, he has often translated him word for word,—without declaring the fact. But as only those Works which support his own views, in particular the American origin, are estimated with any accuracy, while the rest are summarily disposed of,—often without any precise account of the Contents, it is properly speaking solely for the sake of the Titles that the Review as a whole is of use to Historians. A Continuation of this Bibliographical review is found in: Heinr. August Hacker, Literatur der syphilitischen Krankheiten vom Jahr 1794 bis mit 1829, etc. Leipzig 1830. 264 S. gr. 8. (Heinr. August Hacker, “Literature of the Venereal Disease from the year 1794 down to and including 1829, etc.” Leipzig 1830. pp. 264. large 8vo.).
Unfortunately a major portion of the Books, particularly of the foreign ones, did not actually come into the hands of the Author, so that he was forced often to content himself with merely citing the Titles; and in such as are more precisely designated, he omits, as indeed is the case also with Girtanner, to give the length (pagination, or number of sheets) of the Works, from which at any rate a relative judgement might be made as to their completeness. Then since its publication almost another decade has passed, and the continuation of his Collection is still awaited on the part of the Author; consequently a second edition, carried on so as to cover the latest period, one that has been very prolific in Literary productions, is both necessary and desirable, and in it what is deficient might easily be supplied. Again from earlier Literature many additions might well be made and supplements giving what was overlooked or only cursorily noted by Girtanner. However would it not on the whole be more expedient to undertake an entirely new Work dealing with the whole Literature of Venereal Disease, but on other principles than those of Girtanner? Indeed for such a task the use of a Library such as Göttingen would be required. It would undoubtedly be of very great utility.
George Rees, On the primary Symptoms of the lues venerea, with a critical and chronological account of all the English writers on the subject, from 1735 to 1785. Lond. 1802. 8vo.
Finally we have to mention the Writers on the History of Medicine who have treated more or less fully the History of the Venereal Disease. To this class belong in especial:
J. Freind, histoire de la médicine, traduit de l’Anglais par Etienne Coulet. Leide 1727. 8. T. III. S. 192-277. (J. Freind, “History of Medicine,” translated from the English by Etienne Coulet. Leyden 1727. 8vo. Vol. III. pp. 192-277).
Seeks to prove the American origin.
Chr. Godfr. Gruner, Morborum antiquitates. Vratislav. 1774. gr. 8. S. 69-101. (Chr. Godfr. Gruner, “Antiquities of Diseases.” Breslau 1774. large 8vo. pp. 69-101).