William Beaumont's Letter to His New Haven Bookseller, Hezekiah Howe, With a Bibliographical Description of the Editions of Beaumont's Book *

The present year marks the centenary of publication of the first great contribution to physiology by an American author. Some indeed have regarded William Beaumont's Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice, published in Plattsburgh in 1833, as the most important work in the history of American physiology.t It therefore seems fitting at this time to set down any details concerning the book that have not hitherto been made known. The new information which we have to record relates to the method which Beaumont employed for distributing his book after its publication , and also to Beaumont's relations with the well-known contemporary bookseller of New Haven, Hezekiah Howe. Though many early Connecticut physicians seem to have possessed copies of Beaumont's book (see Miller') it is curious, as the following correspondence indicates, that the bookseller had such difficulty in disposing of them. Our attention was drawn to Beaumont's correspondence with Hezekiah Howe through a manuscript letter of Beaumont, dated 19 November 1834, written as from Plattsburgh, but postmarked on its cover "New York, Nov. 19." It was addressed to "Mr. 1929, the first International Congress to be held in America, Beaumont's book was issued in facsimile and presented to all members of the Congress, since it was felt that it exemplified the highest traditions of American physiology. Copies of the facsimile edition can still be obtained at the Harvard University Press. and she has kindly allowed us to reproduce it. The text of the letter is as follows: Sir 19" Novem: 1834 Will you please to let me know what number of Copies of my "Experiments & Observations etc" you may have remaining on hand, unsold, soon as convenient? I shall probably have occasion to recall all surplus book [sic] from the Eastward to supply the Western Market, my depot there having become nearly exhausted & the demand for them continuing. I go to the West again shortly, & will thank you to advise me soon as practicably convenient. One might infer from this iiiteresting statement that Beaumont's book was less thoroughly appreciated in his native state than in those vigorous Western communities in which Beaumont spent most of his later life. It is clear also that Beaumont personally supervised the distribution of his book from Plattsburgh. It seemed likely that there must have been some acknowledgment or reply to Beaumont's letter and it was found that the Yale University Library …