A Discourse upon some late Improvements of the Means for Preserving the Health of Mariners.

Includes Cook's paper on the prevention of scurvy. A work of huge importance for the inclusion of Captain Cook's paper on the prevention of scurvy. One of the most significant of all the printed works relating to Cook's voyages, it contains not only the discourse given to the Royal Society by its President, Sir John Pringle, prior to the presentation of the Copley medal to Mrs Cook (in her husband's absence during his Third Voyage) but also the first appearance in print of Captain Cook's epoch-making paper - The Method taken for preserving the Health of the Crew of His Majesty's Ship the Resolution during her late Voyage round the World - on the successful measures taken for preserving the health of the crew of the Resolution during his Second Voyage, one of the most important achievements in the general field of exploration. Cook's paper follows on from Pringle's discourse, on pages 39-44.

First edition. 4to (25 x 19.5 cms), [iv], 44 pp., entirely uncut, 2 small ink corrections to text page 1, light foxing to quire C, modern tan morocco gilt, red morocco labels, a fine example.

Beddie 1289 & 1290; Garrison-Morton 2156 & 3714; Holmes 20; Norman 508.