Descartes, René. Tractatus de homine et de formatione foetus. Quorum prior notis perpetuis L. de la Forge illustrative. 39 nn. Bl., 239 pp. 21 x 16,5 cm. With numerous partly leaf-sized text woodcuts. Modern brochure with RSchild. Frankfurt, Friderich Knoch, 1692. VD 17, 23:278232Q and 23:278236V. Guibert 207, (11) & 171, (22). See Garrison-Morton 574 & 4965 (to the first editions). – First editions printed in Germany, parts of Opera Philosophica. "Descartes considered the human body a material machine, directed by a rational soul located in the pineal body. This book was the first attempt to cover the whole field of animal physiology. The work is really a physiological appendix to his Discourse on method, 1637 [...]. Descartes believed the soul to be a definite entity, giving rise to thoughts, feelings, and acts of competition. He was one of the first o consider the brain as an organ integrating the functions of mind and body" (Garrison-Morrison). – Slightly kinky and with small traces of usage, otherwise very good specimen.