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Historical Bibliography Updated: June 16, 2026

Traité de la lithotomie ou de l'extraction de la pierre hors la vessie.

Publication Details

Paris: chez l'Auteur, 1682 CE.

In Tolet's day lithotomy was one of the major and most dangerous of operations. Tollet provided explicit directions for the operation in children as well as adults of both sexes. He particularly stressed  the need for careful restraint of the patient during surgery using strong assistants, straps, scarves, or cloths. He described and illustrated lesser and greater lateral perineal operations in men and women. The plates in Tolet's book depict instruments, positioning of the patient, the use of the curved metal catheter, the making of the incision, and use of extracting clamps. 

Translated into English as A treatise of lithotomy: Or, of the extraction of the stone out of the bladder. Written in French by Mr. Tolet, Lithotomist in the Hospital of the Charity in Paris. Translated into English by A. Lovell. London, 1683.
Catalog MetadataReference Information
Entry Number#14336
Permanent Linkhttps://staging.historyofmedicine.com/entry/16664
External URLtrait-de-la-lithotomie-ou-de-lextraction-de-la-pierre-hors-la-vessie

Geographic Context

Publication place: Paris

Mentioned in annotation: London