SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF CAPODIVACCA'S TREATISE ON SYPHILIS
bound with
THE SECOND EDITION OF CAMPOLONGO'S WORK ON ARTHRITIS
completed by Schneeberger’s remedies against joints’ pains

Capodivacca, Girolamo. De lue venerea acroaseis. Pubbliche letture […] Spirae (Speyer): Typis Bernardi Albini, 1590.
[bound with:]
Campolongo, Emilio - Schneeberger, Anton. Liber unus de arthritide cui accessit Antonii Sneebergeri tigurini enumeratio medicamentorum facile patabilium adversus omnis generis articulorum dolores. Spirae Nemetum: Apud Bernardum Albinum, 1592.

8vo (160x100 mm), contemporary limp vellum binding with handwritten titles at spine, pp. [8], 88; pp. [16], 111; [1], 270. Woodcut pictures at both title-pages, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces.

First edition of the scarce and important treatise by Capodivacca about syphilis, bound with the second edition of Campolongo's treatise on arthritis.

The illness is analysed through an inductive reasonment to get to its causes. Decoctions of Lignum vitae (or guayacus) and fumigations with mercury are indicated as the best remedies for it.

After the Acroaesis de lue venerea, the book includes the second edition of Emilio Campolongo’s «De Arthritide», on the causes and painful effects of the arthritis, whose first printing was producted in Venice just six years before (1586). The De Arthritide is formed by a collection of notes taken by Campolongo’s pupils during his lessons and checked by him. It deals also with useful natural analgesics and proper alimentation to avoid the onset of the illness. Campolongo’s work is enhanced by Schneeberger’s Enumeratio medicamentorum, beginning without its own title-page at f. a8r of the second part. This addition, that had already been published separately in 1581, contains a list of remedies known during the Renaissance for the articulations’ pains caused by the arthritis.

Girolamo Capodivacca (beginning of the 16th century-Mantua, 1589) was an Italian physician, scholar at the university of Padua for more than 30 years. He gained an illustrious reputation as healer of syphilis cases, so important that even the Medici would have wanted him to Florence. His doctrine drew inspiration from Arabic medicine precepts developed through a Scholastic kind of reasonment.

Emilio Campolongo (1550-1604) was a Paduan physician that taught at the university of the town and, at the same time, travelled through the Italian reigns in response to many sovereings’ callings.

Anton Schneeberger (1530-1581) was a Polish pupil of the famous naturalist Konrad Gesner of Zurich. Schneeberger was taught in Greek and inspired with a love for natural sciences and medicine. After the degree in Philosophy and Medicine at the university of Paris, he came back to Poland and settle as a physician in Krakau, where he composed both medical and botanical works.

References: First work: Adams, C-600; Durling, 818; Wellcome 1260. Second work: Adams, C-490; Durling 811 (first edition); Wellcome 1245, copy lacking Schneeberger’s essay.

Small loss (restored) at the first title-page, waterstain at the lower outer corner of the first half of the leaves, minor waterstains to the margin of few other leaves, light oxidation and some browning to few leaves. Overall, a good copy.