1 836 .] Baron Dupuytren . 9 1 



characters of candour, which is of the greatest consequence 

 in a teacher. Vidal, however, states, that he has often 

 heard Dupuytren confess his errors, when he was not re- 

 quired to do so. 



If he overlooked his own errors, it is also certain that 

 he was as lenient in public to his cotemporaries, which 

 some have explained, by saying that he only spoke of him- 

 self, and never mentioned at the Hotel Dieu the names of 

 other surgeons. This, however, is a great mistake, for 

 although he preferred his own experience to that of others, 

 yet he often mentioned in his lectures, Sir Astley Cooper, 

 Scarpa, and Boyer. His mode of mentioning these great 

 surgeons, shewed what he thought of his contemporary in 

 Britain, of the talents of the professor of Pavia, and the 

 veneration which he had for the author of the " Traite des 

 Maladies Chirurgicales." No one appreciated the good 

 sense of Boyer more than Dupuytren.* 



It was in the operating theatre that Dupuytren shone 

 most, where the most distinguished surgeons of all countries 

 have been seated around him, where he taught surgery 

 with dignity, where no vulgar pleasantries or brutal 

 expressions were ever uttered by him. In his clinical 

 lectures, he explained facts with the greatest clearness, 

 and with such a number of details, as to surprise even those 

 who continued to attend him for a long period. When he 

 had developed a fact, he compared it with analogous cases 

 which had occurred in the Hotel Dieu, or in his private 

 practice, and thus proved that he had seen much, and that 

 his experience was accompanied with practical benefits. 

 For among the higher classes there are modifications of 

 disease which differ from those among the poorer class, 

 and there are complaints which follow from the indulgence 

 in luxuries. Dupuytren was the surgeon of the rich and 



* He was by no means lavish in his praise, but it was not easy for him to be 

 unjust to those who had distinguished themselves in that field by which he rose to 

 eminence himself; for, to use his own words, the name of Concours caused his 

 heart to beat with emotion. An instance of this feeling is afforded in his conduct 

 to Mr. King, who was elected house-surgeon to the Parisian hospitals by a 

 public Concours. Dupuytren was one of the jury. Previous to the trial he had 

 shewn himself averse to the admission of foreigners, as candidates ; but, afterwards 

 he became favourable to it, and declared that, in this case, he deemed the appoint- 

 ment so well gained, that he would add to it whatever services he could fairly 

 render Mr. King. And in this he kept liis word. 



