Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Press, 1930. 2 volumes. Text (hieroglypics transliteration, translation & commentary) 4to (24 x 30 cm.): xxiv, 596 pp, 8 plates; Atlas Folio (32 x 41 cm.): xiii, [iii] pp. 22 double-page facsimile plates and line for line hieroglyphic transliteration, printed in red and black. Original cloth (discoloured and some slight dampstain at the sides, but a very clean interior copy).
First edition. Garrison & Morton, 5547: "Edwin Smith, pioneer Egyptologist, purchased at Luxor in 1862 the papyrus which bears his name... The original text was written about 3000 B.C. and the present manuscript is a copy dating about 1600 B.C. It is the oldest known surgical (and scientific) treatise and consists entirely of case reports; it describes 47 different cases of injuries and affections of the head, nose and mouth, together with methods of bandaging". A detailed review of this most important work is to be found in Zimmerman & Veith's "Great ideas in the history of surgery" (1967) pp 3-13.