LIFE AND WRITINGS OP BECLARD. 



memory and an easy elocution. His genius had not yet as- 

 sumed a determinate character; as yet, no original production 

 had unveiled his resources; but at last an important occasion 

 of distinguishing himself occurred. M. Dupuytren being ap- 

 pointed to the chair of operative surgery, the place of adjunct 

 professor of anatomy in the faculty of Paris became vacant. 

 Beclard, being appointed assistant, in 1811, he presented him- 

 self as a candidate, and to him was awarded the prize by the 

 judges. He had already acquired the esteem of a great many 

 students who had followed his private courses. He had scarce- 

 ly any reputation as an anatomist; but as soon as he saw that 

 he was surrounded with so many means of instruction, he has- 

 tened to improve himself by taking advantage of the opportu- 

 nity presented to him. Besides, he Had already indicated in 

 the thesis that he presented for the abovte mentioned situation, 

 in the most luminous manner, what ouglt to be the conduct 

 of the superintending adjunct towards tlfe pupils in the pur- 

 suit of anatomical knowledge. It was therefore expected, that 

 faithful to the principles that he himself had laid down, he would 

 not fail to put them in practice; and it is well known that he 

 did not belie the hopes, that^his zeal and precocious talents had 

 led the profession to expect. 



Among the interesting facts collected by him, in the dissect- 

 ing rooms of the medical school, and which he presented to 

 the society of the professors, among whom he was very soon 

 received, we will only mention the principal ones. Such was 

 the observation of a foetus born with a frontal and very volu- 

 minous hernia of the brain, being the consequence of hydro- 

 cephalus. This preparation was rendered particularly curious 

 by the extraordinary existence of two bones situated between 

 the frontal bones and not far from their articulation with the 

 ossa nasi. 



Soon after, he gave the description of a foetus, of which the 

 umbilical cord very much dilated at its base, contained a part 

 of the abdominal organs, and the heart of which adhered to 

 the palate. He published, conjointly with JVK Bonnie, a case 

 of labour per ano, of a child the conception of Which was ex- 

 tra-uterine. In a memoir on necrosis, he maintained and de- 



