84 Biographical Account of [Aug. 



such a man. In 1796, when scarce eighteen years of age, 

 he was made Prosecteiir at the Ecole de Sante.^ 



He was inspired with an indefatigable desire for the 

 study of anatomy, and gave a course which attracted a great 

 number of pupils. 



In 1801 he was promoted to the head of the anatomical 

 department. Taking advantage of such an important 

 situation, he did not content himself with studying, merely, 

 the normal condition of organic structure, he prosecuted 

 also researches in reference to aberrations of form, and 

 thus contributed in assisting to lay the important founda- 

 tions of pathological anatomy. In 1803 IDupuytren was 

 nominated joint surgeon of the Hotel Dieu. He was not, 

 however, chief surgeon. He had formed a plan for the 

 operation of tying the subclavian artery, and an opportu- 

 nity occurred for putting it in practice ; but a superior will 

 was opposed to him, as he himself said. He soon, however, 

 afterwards performed this operation upon a patient. In 

 1812 he triumphed in a struggle which did him great 

 honour. By the Death of Sabatier the chair of surgery 

 became vacant. A number of very eminent surgeons were 

 candidates, among whom were Roux and Marjolin. He 

 succeeded, however, in obtaining the situation, by means 

 of his own talents and the influence of M. Pelletan, chief 

 surgeon. It has been often said that Dupuytren afterwards 

 forgot what this surgeon had done for him. The same 

 fault of memory is attributable to Desault; for history 

 states that Louis supported him by his credit, and had even 

 opened his purse for him. However, the patron did not 

 receive the gratitude from Desault which he had a right to 

 expect. But Louis did not abate in his exertions for the 

 surgeon's promotion. When, by the death of Moreau, the 

 place of chief surgeon of the Hotel Dieu became vacant, he 

 went and used his influence with the magistrate who had 



* M. Vidal remarks here, that John Hunter, at the same age, could not read. 

 The French author might have known, that the poorest peasant in Scotland sends 

 his son to learn to read, as soon as he is able to walk from his father's dwelling 

 to the parish school, and, therefore, it was impossible that my immortal country- 

 man, whose father was of respectable rank, could have been excluded from a 

 privilege, to which the very beggar is admitted. We know, indeed, that his 

 education was finished at seventeen, when he went to Glasgow. — Edit. 



