Franco (Pierre) Traité des Hernies, 25 full-page woodcut illustrations, contemporary ink ownership inscription to title 'Urbain Heward', title with small paper restoration to blank margin, 4 leaves with small paper reinforcement to lower margin, some just touching text (G2 ['F2'], T6, Bb8, Ii2), worming to last 4 gatherings at lower margin, not affecting text, errata with portion of blank margin below excised and restored, whole sheet laid down, some spotting and uniform browning, bound with the remains of an old vellum manuscript, contemporary vellum, toned, lower cover with portion cut away from lower corner, lacking ties, ink inscription to lower edge, [Garrison-Morton 3574, Norman 828, Wellcome 2409], 8vo, Lyon, Thibauld Payan, 1561.

⁂ Franco's most major work, a vastly expanded second edition of the first, published in 1556, covering a far greater variety of medical topics. While he originally cites only Avicenna, Albucasis and Guy de Chauliac,this new edition contains no less than 356 citations from a wide range of authorities, testifying to the remarkable learning of the supposedly unschooled author. Similarly, there are twenty-five new illustrations (including twenty-two instruments and three whole skeletons). Perhaps overshadowed contemporaneously by others such as Ambroise Paré (1510-1590), Franco has since been recognised as one of the greatest surgeons of the Renaissance and a forerunner of urology. Likewise, his significant influence in bringing operative surgery back into the realm of regular surgical practice has been subsequently fully appreciated. Very rare; RBH lists only three other copies at auction in the last eighty years.