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COOK'S PAPER ON SCURVY [COOK, CAPTAIN JAMES] PRINGLE, SIR JOHN
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Description
A DISCOURSE UPON SOME LATE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING THE HEALTH OF MARINERS. DELIVERED AT THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, NOVEMBER 30, 1776; BY SIR JOHN PRINGLE, BARONET, PRESIDENT. London, printed for the Royal Society, 1776.
Foolscap quarto; full contemporary polished calf, gilt-edged, expertly rebacked with the original fully gilt spine titled 'Sr. John Pringles Discourse' preserved. A very fine clean copy.
FIRST EDITION. The first publication of Cook's important discoveries on scurvy, which were of critical importance in the success of his three voyages. Cook's paper bound in with this discourse is titled The Method taken for preserving the Health of the Crew of His Majesty's Ship the Resolution during her late voyage around the World, and it was for this that he was awarded the Copley Medal for the best paper contributed to the Royal Society during the year 1776. Although Cook knew of the award, the medal never actually came into his possession, as he had by then departed on his fatal third voyage. It was presented in his absence to Mrs Cook, and Pringle's discourse was read on the occasion of the presentation. The discourse on Cook's paper expanded considerably on it and put it into historical and medical context by comparison with earlier voyages (particularly those of Hawkins and Anson) and comments on the diet and climatic conditions of several parts of the world. Pringle's discourse was considered so valuable that the Commissioners of Longitude caused it to be included in the official account of the second voyage.
Bound in with the above are four other discourses given by Sir John Pringle at the annual presentations of the Copley Medal:
1. A Discourse on the Different Kinds of Air, pp. [iv], 32 (last errata, with corrected errata slip pasted over); on a paper by Joseph Priestley, 1774.
2. A Discourse on the Torpedo [Fish], pp. 32, [2] (errata, verso blank); on a paper by Mr [John] Walsh, 1775.
3. A Discourse on the Attraction of Mountains, pp. 34 (last blank); on a paper by Nevil Maskelyne, 1775.
4. A Discourse on the Theory of Gunnery, pp. [ii], 34 (last blank); on a paper by Mr Charles Hutton (pp. 27-30 not caught up by the sewing and rather dust-soiled on edges, but now neatly re-inserted), 1778.
Foolscap quarto; full contemporary polished calf, gilt-edged, expertly rebacked with the original fully gilt spine titled 'Sr. John Pringles Discourse' preserved. A very fine clean copy.
FIRST EDITION. The first publication of Cook's important discoveries on scurvy, which were of critical importance in the success of his three voyages. Cook's paper bound in with this discourse is titled The Method taken for preserving the Health of the Crew of His Majesty's Ship the Resolution during her late voyage around the World, and it was for this that he was awarded the Copley Medal for the best paper contributed to the Royal Society during the year 1776. Although Cook knew of the award, the medal never actually came into his possession, as he had by then departed on his fatal third voyage. It was presented in his absence to Mrs Cook, and Pringle's discourse was read on the occasion of the presentation. The discourse on Cook's paper expanded considerably on it and put it into historical and medical context by comparison with earlier voyages (particularly those of Hawkins and Anson) and comments on the diet and climatic conditions of several parts of the world. Pringle's discourse was considered so valuable that the Commissioners of Longitude caused it to be included in the official account of the second voyage.
Bound in with the above are four other discourses given by Sir John Pringle at the annual presentations of the Copley Medal:
1. A Discourse on the Different Kinds of Air, pp. [iv], 32 (last errata, with corrected errata slip pasted over); on a paper by Joseph Priestley, 1774.
2. A Discourse on the Torpedo [Fish], pp. 32, [2] (errata, verso blank); on a paper by Mr [John] Walsh, 1775.
3. A Discourse on the Attraction of Mountains, pp. 34 (last blank); on a paper by Nevil Maskelyne, 1775.
4. A Discourse on the Theory of Gunnery, pp. [ii], 34 (last blank); on a paper by Mr Charles Hutton (pp. 27-30 not caught up by the sewing and rather dust-soiled on edges, but now neatly re-inserted), 1778.