The Philosophy of Marriage; Being Four Important Lectures on the Functions and Disorders of the Nervous System and Reproductive Organs. [Bound with] Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Pacific Museum of Anatomy and Natural History.

JORDAN, Dr. L. J. [Henry J.]

Edité par The Author (1865), San Francisco, 1865

A propos de cet article

Twelvemo. [1], 8-124, 59, [3] pp. Modern faux burgundy morocco with gilt cover lettering. The first leaf is merely a change of address (from Geary to Kearny Street), the second leaf is a woodcut illustration of Jordan's Pacific Museum. Both of these leaves have the bottom corner absent due to poor quality paper, the title page has an old cellotape repair to the same corner. Text block toned throughout but aside from the first three leaves no real problem.Hard to find in any format, this huckster's come-hither publication was obviously not printed in 1865 as it is on wood pulp paper (not doubt he kept the plates for a good many years and didn't want his 'Clientele' to know the exact year). Following the family tradition of chicanery, Louis Jordan opened his 'medical' practice in San Francisco in 1865 although there is no proof he had a medical degree at that time. The first thing Dr. Jordan did when getting into town was to assemble a museum of terrible and horrifying objects; much like a carney side show. "The horrifying visuals were used to startle visitors into agreeing to an unexpected medical examination by Dr. Jordan. The proprietor would convince his guest with an alarmist lecture warning of some dire, unseen malady, which inevitably would require pricey medication to cure. Similar outfits popped up around the same time in Boston, New York and Melbourne, Australia, all run by a Dr. Jordan (or Jourdain) with a different first name." (A. Periera, SFGATE, 2018). Naturally, he was eventually exposed but his fate remains a mystery.This author (who used the names H.J. Jordan, L.J. Jordan, Louis J. Jordan, Luis J. Jordan, P.J. Jordan, R.J. Jourdain, and Robert Jourdain, as well as Drs. Jordan & Beck, and Drs. Jordan & Davieson) is listed in NYC directories beginning in 1864, and continuing into the 1880s, as Henry or Henry J. Jordan; in San Francisco directories beginning in 1865, and continuing into the 1880s, as Louis J. Jordan; in Boston directories beginning in 1868, and continuing at least until 1876, as Robert J. Jourdain; and in Philadelphia directories from 1872 to 1877 as Philip J. Jordan, and in 1879 (and later?) as Robert J. Jordan. In each of these cities Dr. Jordan was also proprietor of a museum or gallery of anatomy./ Wood-engraving of the Pacific Museum of Anatomy & Natural Science signed: J. Walker [James M. Walker?]./ Copyright 1865 by Dr. L.J. Jordan./ "Francis & Valentine, Commercial Steam Printing House, 517 Clay Street, S.F."--Title page verso./ "Hand-book & descriptive catalogue of the Pacific Museum of Anatomy and Natural Science, now open at the Eureka Theatre. Montgomery St., between California and Pine, San Francisco. . Principal, Louis J. Jordan, M.D., M.R.C.S. ."--59, [3] p. at end. Includes on p. [61]: Notice. Dr. Louis J. Jordan . begs to state, for the privacy and convenience of those desirous of consulting him, that his house and office is at no. 211 Geary Street . Consultation fee, $5. .

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Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Philosophy of Marriage; Being Four Important Lectures on the Functions and Disorders of the Nervous System and Reproductive Organs. [Bound with] Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Pacific Museum of Anatomy and Natural History.
• Éditeur: The Author (1865), San Francisco
• Date de parution: 1865