From 1800 until Laennec's discovery of auscultation, there were only four major text-books on heart disease, that of Burns in England, of Corvsart in France, Testa in Italy, and Kreysig in Germany. It has its strong points such as advocating digitalis and sound views on angina pectoris and coronary disease; Kreysig's wide review of the literature provides a good picture of cardiology at the time" (Bedford 416). "Kreysig first demonstrated endocarditis long beofre Bouillaud, and was acquainted with defects of the cardiac valves. The so-called 'purring' tremor was also known to him before Laennec, and he likewide recognized rheumatism as a cause of heart disease before Bouillaud" (Baas).

Digital facsimile from Bayerische StaatsBibliothek at this link.