De Structura Fenestrae Rotundae Auris, et de Tympano Secundario Anatomicae Observationes.

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141, [1, errata]; blank leaf, 2 folding plates. Contemporary magenta-dyed calf with gold roll-tooled frame and gold-stamped central medallion. All edges gilt. Bookplate of K. K. Wiener, M. H. Ink stamp of K. u. K. Militär-ärztliche Bibliothek on front blank leaf (with ink notation). Circular ink stamp of Der K. K. Med. Chir Iosephs. Acad. Biblioth. in outer blank margin of title page. Very Good. First Edition. Garrison-Morton 1550. Scarpa's first book. "Scarpa began his scientific activity with comparative investigation of the ear, suggested to him by Morgagni, De Structura Fenestrae Rotundae Auris, et de Tympano Secundario . . . 1772); for man and for the hen and pig he gave a more accurate and complete description of the osseous labyrinth and demonstrated the true function of the round window" (D.S.B. 12: 137). Scarpa's "treatise on the construction of the round window and its membrane. Scarpa's predecessors gave very incomplete descriptions of the round window. . . . Previous anatomists had described the shape of the window as round or oval. Scarpa defined it as being triangular. He was also aware that it closed off the opening of a canal which itself had a triangular aperture adjoining the cochlea. Although Casserio, Duverney, Cassebohm, and Haller had indicated the existence of this canal, Scarpa was the first to follow it in detail and describe its sulcus. He describes with special precision the structure, source, and position of the membrane of the round window. He emphasizes its similarity to the tympanic membrane and suggests that it be called the 'tympanum secundarium'. Numerous illustrations included on two plates surpass almost all previous otological works in exactness and beauty" (Politzer, History of Otology, pp. 157-58). Dobson, Anatomical Eponyms, 2d ed., p. 184, citing this work. Seller Inventory # 13739

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