1835.] Baron Dupuytren. 85' 



the most power in the appointment of the surgeon. '* I 

 have," said Louis, " reason to complain of Desault, but I 

 owe it to the public interest to declare, that he is the man 

 best qualified for the situation.'* 



At this competition, a circumstance occurred which 

 deserves to be mentioned. A day had been fixed for 

 giving in a certain number of copies of a thesis. This 

 injunction was of such a strict nature, that none were 

 allowed to compete, who did not accomplish it. The impor- 

 tant day arrived, and Dupuytren was not ready. Different 

 accounts have been given of the cause of this. Some attri- 

 bute it to the difficulty which Dupuytren experienced in 

 the composition of his thesis. Others say, that being dis- 

 satisfied with his first trials he wished to retire from the 

 contest ; but was anxious, at the same time, to make an 

 honourable retreat. Vidal has been supplied with a corres- 

 pondence, which has enabled him to give us the true version 

 of the story. Dupuytren did not always write badly, but 

 he wrote with great difficulty. Lebegue, who was his 

 printer, wrote him saying that it was impossible to have 

 his thesis ready in time, as he had made so many correc- 

 tions. Dupuytren seeing the impossibility of terminating 

 this competition, had resolved to retire, and had written a 

 letter to the Dean to this effect. But M. Crochard Senior, 

 who published a work on surgery commenced by this sur- 

 geon, requested permission to add to the titles already 

 acquired by the author, that of Professor of the Faculty. 

 This bookseller devised the following method for obtaining 

 the delay, which was necessary for completely finishing the 

 thesis of Dupuytren : He made the printer write a letter 

 stating that an accident had happened in the printing-office ; 

 that a workman had, while carrying a form, made a false 

 step, and allowed the form to fall among paste ; that time 

 would be required to prepare it for throwing off" an impres- 

 sion, and that Dupuytren could have no control over it. 

 M. Crochard went in great anxiety to the Dean, who was 

 much embarrassed. Dupuytren said he was ill. At last 

 M. Leroux terminated the matter by declaring that he 

 would grant the delay, if all the workmen in the printing- 

 office would attest the correctness of the fact by their signa- 

 tures. Immediately the attestation required was sent in. 



