SECOND PERIOD. 5o, 



was given to M. Brongniart, professor at the 

 school of pharmacy, author of an Essay on Che- 

 mistry, and one of the writers in the Journal of 

 Sciences, Arts and Trades. He at first repeated 

 the language of Macquer, but soon adopted the 

 new nomenclature. 



Antony Petit maintained the reputation which 

 Duverney and Winslow had given to the chair of 

 anatomy, and saw the number of his pupils every 

 day increase ; but he at length became less exact 

 in delivering his lectures , and this negligence 

 excited the louder murmurs from the universal 

 eagerness to hear him. He was therefore assisted 

 by Vic-d'Azir, a man in every respect worthy 

 to fdl his place , and to whom he wished it should 

 be given at his death ; but Buff on thought it due 

 to M. Portal, who, ten years before, had lectured 

 for Ferrein. In 1 778 , M. Portal was named to the 

 chair, which he still occupies; uniting this place 

 to that of first physician to the king. 



Though Yic-d'Air assisted Petit only two years, 

 he conferred a lasting benefit upon science by dif- 

 fusing just notions on comparative anatomy, for 

 which a separate chair has since been erected in 

 the Museum , and w hich has become the basis of 

 zoology. 



This sketch of what was done for the establish- 

 ment from 1772 to 1778, is only a recital of its 



