Reprint of Two Tracts

These two short medical tracts bring listeners back to London in the mid‑1770s, when a young French physician was experimenting with the ailments of his day. The first essay tackles “gleet,” a painful urethral condition, describing contemporary remedies and hinting at a bold new cure that the author hoped to publish later. The second work investigates a puzzling eye disease, recounting a striking case that was reportedly healed with early electrical treatment—an approach that was far ahead of its time.

Both pamphlets are exceptionally rare, originally addressed to the Worshipful Company of Surgeons and the Royal Society, and they reveal the early ambitions of a doctor who would later become a notable figure in French history. Listeners will hear a blend of practical medical observation, personal ambition, and the scholarly tone of an 18th‑century practitioner, offering a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of medical thought before the author’s more famous political career unfolded.