SCARPA ANTONIO: (1752-1832) Italian Anatomist. Scarpa published a number of medical treatises widely respected. An ...

SCARPA ANTONIO: (1752-1832) Italian Anatomist. Scarpa published a number of medical treatises widely respected. An interesting A.L.S., Scarpa, two pages, 4to, Pavia, 20th May 1799, to Dr. Morigi, in Italian. Scarpa writes to his colleague and states `Today is the first day I get up from bed after eight consecutive days with constant fever which have brought me to an extreme weakness. Spring changes my health, and the changes of weather of this year have been terrible for me. So I have not been able to enjoy our liberation because of my illness. Each time I think in the way the war has changed, everything seems a dream to me, a prodigy. Even the winners are amazed with such change…´ further saying `Germans don´t seem to be the same as they used to, with their determination and bravery. There was a huge cannon war shot, it was ours one, but now I think they will regret having made such damages to French, because if all goes well, which I hope will, in few days time the news will reach France. The Imperial Kingdoms have been occupied by the German..´ After reporting about war situation in Pavia, Scarpa makes very interesting scientific comments, stating `Two weeks ago I made two surgeries with the new medical needle in presence of all my students. I could learn all the advantages I was expecting about it, and both surgeries ended successfully, and the fact that the patients are walking up and down in the hospital confirms this.´ and continues reporting about the manufacture of such medical needles and their high cost, referring to other similar projects, like an English one with a needle with curve end, stating `You will notice on the drawing that the curve end of this needle is more accentuated than the one done by Bell´. Scarpa further on describes an aneurysm surgery he has recently performed with graft and ligature of the femoral artery. A very interesting content letter with historical and scientific information. With blank address leaf bearing a hole as a result of the removing of the seal. Some overall creasing, otherwise VG