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Kagawa Genteki [or Gen'yu or Shikei] & Kagawa Genetsu. - [San Ron Yoku or Sanron Yoku depending on the transcriber].

Title: [San Ron Yoku or Sanron Yoku depending on the transcriber].
Description: Tokyo, Osaka &c Heian Saiseikan &c 1775 (An'ei 4). Two volumes* 260x178mm, wrappers with title labels and added manuscript; 32 more or less full page woodcut illustrations. Covers dusty, a small stain to the top edge at the very end and a mild patch of stain or discolouration on three leaves of illustrations. Signs of use but a pretty good copy. The owner's signature and seal reads Yazawa I'm told. *Plus - a bonus - another two volumes sold and bought as Sanron Yoku but which turn out to be volume two - with the illustrations - of Sanron Yoku and volume one of the original Sanron. By the same publishers at the same time. So we have two sets of the illustrations and one and a half times the text of the one along with half the text of the other. A most handy thing, I think. ¶ First edition. According to the experts, Japanese obstetrics has a definite birthdate. In 1765 Kagawa Genetsu published Sanron, the first Japanese book on obstetrics and in 1775 his pupil Kagawa Genteki followed up Sanron Yoku - a revision and supplement to the Sanron which includes case histories and, more important to me, pictures. The Sanron was not illustrated. This is a bridge between traditional and modern - western influenced - medicine. Kagawa the younger disavowed the more terrifying of his master's tools and introduced new techniques based on European methods. This work was the basis of obstetrics until way into the 19th century. The captivating woodcuts are of gracefully formed, raven haired babies-to-be that can only be Japanese.

Keywords: science medicine obstetrics women c18th Japan Asia

Price: AUD 900.00 = appr. US$ 622.68 Seller: Richard Neylon, Bookseller
- Book number: 8996