Title
The American Illustrated Medical Dictionary (Eighth Edition, 1915)
Author
W. A. Newman Dorland, A.M., M.D., F.A.C.S.
Published by W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia and London
Image
Description
This is the 1915 Eighth Edition of The American Illustrated Medical Dictionary by W. A. Newman Dorland, one of the most widely used medical reference works of the early 20th century. The volume provides an encyclopedic collection of medical terminology, including pronunciation, derivation, and definition, as well as tables of arteries, muscles, nerves, bacilli, weights and measures, eponymic diseases, operations, and stains. It also contains hundreds of high-quality illustrations, some in color, covering anatomy, pathology, and embryology.
This dictionary was a standard desk reference for physicians, students, and nurses of the time, and evolved into the modern Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, still in publication today.
Condition
Hardcover binding intact with minimal edge wear. Pages clean, with tabbed sections and vivid color plates preserved. Owner’s stamp “J. J. Pfiffner” appears on the title page, suggesting provenance. Overall very good condition for a reference book now over a century old.
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Historical context
Dorland’s dictionary emerged at a time when the medical profession was rapidly standardizing terminology. By 1915, discoveries in bacteriology, pathology, and surgery necessitated a comprehensive, authoritative reference for students and practitioners. W. B. Saunders Company became a leading medical publisher in the U.S. and internationally, with Dorland’s dictionary standing as one of its flagship texts.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
First published in 1890, Dorland’s dictionary is now in its 33rd edition (2020s), maintaining its role as a premier medical reference.
The Eighth Edition (1915) reflects pre-antibiotic medicine, where emphasis on microbes, stains, and pathology dominated.
Tabbed indexing and colored anatomical plates made this edition both practical and visually striking for its time.
Excerpt
“A new and complete dictionary of the terms used in medicine, surgery, dentistry, pharmacy, chemistry, nursing, veterinary science, biology, medical biography, etc., with the pronunciation, derivation, and definition.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
This dictionary is a landmark in medical publishing and connects the historical lineage of Dorland’s works to the still-standard editions in use today. Its preservation offers a snapshot of early 20th-century medicine, education, and professional language.
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