Atlas de la confederation argentine.

Second edition of this most important atlas volume to his earlier published Description Geographique et Statistique de la Confederation Argentine (1860-1864) the most comprehensive study of Argentina published in the nineteenth century, an important record of the history, society, natives, immigration, flora, fauna, etc.
The first edition was published in 1869.
Moussy (1810-1869) studied medicine in Paris and became a doctor in 1835. He traveled to Rio de Janeiro in 1841, and then to Montevideo where he directed the French Legion hospital and taught courses in the University of the Republic. In the Uruguayan capital he founded the Medicine Society of Montevideo. Moussy was hired by Argentine president General Justo Jose de Urquiza to Parana in 1854 as the geographer on an expedition explore the territory of Argentina and furnish Urquiza with an assessment of geologic wealth of the nation. Moussy's findings, Urquiza hoped, would present Argentina's great economic potential to Europe.

Moussy spent five years on the expedition, which traveled more than 20,000 km, crossing Paraguay, Missions, Chaco, the north of the Patagonia, the mountain range of the Andes, most of Chile, and the south of Bolivia, and exploring the rivers Uruguay and Parana. During this time Moussy managed to accumulate innumerable observations on natural history, geology, geography, meteorology, in addition to hundreds of astronomical calculations and ethnographic data. The result of his investigations was the Description Geographique et Statistique de la Confederation Argentine (1860-1864) with its important Atlas (1869) of double-page physical and political maps and plans of all the Argentinean provinces and territories.

Reference: Palau 154036. Sabin 44923.