A scarce first edition. Samuel David Gross (1805-84) was a renowned surgeon, teacher and author of this influential textbook. Later, in his autobiography, he described this work: "At the outbeak of war I wrote a little Manual of Military Surgery, a kind of pocket companion for the young surgeons who were flocking to the army, and who for the most part were ill prepared for the prompt and efficient discharge of their duties. It was composed in nine days, and published in a fortnight from the time of its inception ... The work embaced in outline the whole subject of military surgery and hygiene ... It was republished at Richmond, and was extensively cited by the Confederate surgeons during the war. This little book was far more profitable to me, in a commercial point of view, considering the time and labor bestowed upon it, than any other of my productions. A translation of it in Japanese appeared at Tokyo in 1874" (Vol. I pp. 142-3).
