How to identify a first printing
- 1901-c.1985: Chicago medical house (founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931) famous for the annual 'Year Book of [specialty]' abstract serials (Surgery, Medicine, Pediatrics, and others). These serial volumes are identified by SPECIALTY plus YEAR, not by first-printing points; each annual supersedes the prior one. Monographs are identified by edition plus copyright year, with the first printing indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice.
- 1989-1990s: Times Mirror merged the house with C. V. Mosby to form 'Mosby-Year Book'; the copyright-page imprint reflects the merger. The name was subsequently absorbed into the Mosby/Elsevier line.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931; defunct as an independent name after the 1989 Mosby merger.
- The annual 'Year Book of...' series is collected as dated runs by specialty.
- Identification is by year and specialty, not by edition points.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Year Book Medical Publishers, Mosby-Year Book (post-merger), The Year Book of... series. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Year Book Medical Publishers book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1901-c.1985: Chicago medical house (founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931) famous for the annual 'Year Book of [specialty]' abstract serials (Surgery, Medicine, Pediatrics, and others). These serial volumes are identified by SPECIALTY plus YEAR, not by first-printing points; each annual supersedes the prior one. Monographs are identified by edition plus copyright year, with the first printing indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice. 1989-1990s: Times Mirror merged the house with C. V. Mosby to form 'Mosby-Year Book'; the copyright-page imprint reflects the merger. The name was subsequently absorbed into the Mosby/Elsevier line.
Does Year Book Medical Publishers use a number line?
1989-1990s: Times Mirror merged the house with C. V. Mosby to form 'Mosby-Year Book'; the copyright-page imprint reflects the merger. The name was subsequently absorbed into the Mosby/Elsevier line.
Is a book-club edition a Year Book Medical Publishers first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931; defunct as an independent name after the 1989 Mosby merger.
What era does this cover?
This covers Year Book Medical Publishers (1901-c.1990). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.