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1799 1st Edition Medical Discourse Isaac Hurd Printed by Fleet, Cornhill, Boston

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:240.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 500.00 USD
1799 1st Edition Medical Discourse Isaac Hurd Printed by Fleet, Cornhill, Boston
Federal Period
Post-Revolutionary War 1799 First Edition Medical Imprint
1799-Dated Post-Revolutionary War, First Edition Medical Imprint titled, "Dr. Hurd’s Discourse Before the Humane Society.", by Isaac Hurd, Printed by John & Thomas Fleet, Cornhill, Boston, 23 pages, Crisp Extremely Fine.
A wonderful, fresh and bright 1799 edition of the Imprint "Dr. Hurd’s Discourse Before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts" on June 11th, 1799. This late 18th century American treatise was written by Dr. Isaac Hurd (1756-1844) who served as a Surgeon in the Revolutionary Continental Army, and is printed by John and Thomas Fleet, at Boston. The author was for many years a well respected physician and mason in the Boston area. Here he extols the virtues of the American spirit while addressing the Massachusetts branch of the Humane Society, then an English based organization which recognized bravery in the saving of human lives. The author was a surgeon in the American Revolutionary War, and founded the Corinthian Masonic Lodge in Concord, Massachusetts. This rare Imprint remains in choice crisp condition. This Volume bound in pamphlet format, complete with its half-title (often lacking in surviving copies); some minor edge wear, tiny pinholes forming a “seal” on frontis a few uncut page edges, last leaf loose. Overall, very clean internally with 23 pages, and measures about 8.25" tall x 6.5" wide. Quite a rare find by a historic surgeon in the American Revolutionary War.


Dr. Isaac Hurd "was the third son of Benjamin and Grace (Easterbrook) Hurd, and was born at Charlestown, on July 27, 1756. He graduated at Harvard College in the Class of 1776, and immediately after leaving Cambridge entered upon the study of medicine under Dr. Oliver Prescott (1731–1804), Physician and Militia General, Massachusetts in 1778.

For several months during the year 1777 Isaac Hurd served as Surgeon in the Revolutionary Continental Army. In 1778 he settled at Billerica as a practicing physician; and while there, on September 13, 1778, he married Sarah (White) Thompson, who died on June 1, 1789. By this marriage there were five children. After the death of his wife he removed to Concord, where he continued to live until his death, which took place on November 19, 1844.

Doctor Hurd married, secondly, on November 21, 1790, Mrs. Polly, daughter of Gershom and Mary Flagg, of Boston, and widow of Dr. Josiah Wilder, of Lancaster, who died on November 26, 1821; and thirdly, on February 3, 1825, Mrs. Mary Bates, widow of Captain Caleb Bates, of Concord, whose maiden name was Douglass. She came originally from Scituate; and died on February 22, 1854.