Tratado da conservaçaô da saude dos povos [...]. Consideraçoins sobre os terremotos, come a noticia dos mais consideraveis, de que fas mençaô a historia, e dos ultimos que se sintiraô na Europa desde o 1 de novembro 1755.

8vo: xiii-[3]-293 pp. (some foxing, fold to upper corners, tear without loss to upper corner of p. 43, marg. wormtracks or single wormholes).

Contemp. marbled sheep, gilt-orn. spine with raised bands, red edges (scratching to front cover, lower one sl. rubbed, head missing).

Rare first edition by one of the most famous 18th-c. Portuguese physicians and published at his own expense. The work served as a basis for legislation for public health. Deals with: the necessity to renew air in hospitals and their cleaning, how to organise cities and buildings in order to preserve health, food and beverages for soldiers, methods to preserve pure air on sailboats, etc. It also has a chapter on earthquakes, the most famous in history and the last felt in Europe, Africa and America since 1st November 1755. After his doctorate in Salamanca, Sanches (1699-1783) fled Inquisition and worked in London, Paris, Montpellier and Leiden, where he completed his formation with Herman Boerhaave. He became physician at the court of Russia but left the country in 1748 after two of his colleagues were denounced as Jews. He finished his life in Paris. He wrote the article "vérole" for the Encyclopédie.
Ref. Wellcome V:17. - Blake 399. - Not in Bibl. Walleriana, Garisson & Morton.