[FRANKLIN, Benjamin].

Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital; From Its First Rise

Item #79441

[FRANKLIN, Benjamin]. Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital; From Its First Rise to the Beginning of the Fifth Month, Called May, 1754. [with:] Continuation of the Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital; From the First of May, 1754, to the Fifth of May 1761.... Phila.: Printed by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, 1754/61. 40; [2],41-77pp. 4to. 19th-century 3/4 red morocco and marbled boards, marbled endpapers, T.e.g., red silk book ribbon, housed in custom cloth slipcase. Faint scattered foxing and toning, else very good. Streeter Sale 956. Miller 587, 764. Evans 7197, 8972. Austin 794, 795. Guerra 272, 324. Howes F331, "b." Hildeburn XX, XX. Norman 831. DAB XIV, p.413. This is the complete account of the founding and early operation of the first hospital in the British colonies of North America. "The ACCOUNT... describes the plan on which the hospital was founded, rules for admission, rules for the choice of staff, and an 'Abstract of Cases Admitted'" - Streeter. The first section is generally believed to have been written by Benjamin Franklin, who was instrumental in the founding of the hospital and who acted as one of its managers until 1756. The CONTINUATION... was produced as part of a fundraising effort in 1761. Miller notes that for the first part "1500 copies were ordered off the press," though fewer may have actually been printed. The second part is far rarer than the first part, and Miller notes that only 500 copies of the second part were produced. Both parts of SOME ACCOUNT... are seldom found together. An important work of American cultural and medical history. At the end of the subscribers' list "Nathan Laire ?10-" has been added in a contemporary hand.

Price: $45,000.00