ROTH, Bernard (1852 - 1915)

First edition and the only one illustrated with tipped-in Woodbury-types. A second edition of 1899 was entirely revised and enlarged with an Appendix which gives an analysis of 1000 consecutive cases of lateral curvature of the spine (scoliosis) treated by posture and exercise exclusively without mechanical supports. The author means that ”the position of writing, as generally practised, is, more frequently than anything else, an initial cause of lateral and other curvatures not due to diseased bone. The much larger proportion of girls than of boys affected is due to the fact that girls do not enjoy, as a rule, one-fourth of the usual amount of physical exercise, as cricket, football, etc,. allowed to boys. Their muscles either never develop as they ought, or beccome weak.” Roth’s method for treatment was a systematic training of the spinal and other muscles for which he gives a written home prescription of movements. The book is illustrated with eight very fine photographs – The first six photographs were taken the same morning before commencing treatment, the first three representing the ”habitual” posture of the female patient, and the the other three represent the ”best possible” posture of the same patient after she had been placed by the author. This improved posture could only be maintained for the second or two required for taking the photographs. The other two photographs represent a 7-year-old girl with severe osseous lateral curvature of the spine.

Collation: Pp (8), 56 + 32 pp of publisher’s catalogue. With 15 figures in the text and 4 plates with 8 tipped-in original photographs.

Binding: Publisher’s green cloth, gilt lettering on spine and front cover.