PETIT, JEAN-LOUIS, an eminent French surgeon, was born in Paris in March 1674. His love for his favourite science was early in action. When a mere child he began of his own accord to attend the lectures of Litteré, the anatomical professor; not long afterwards he was surprised one day in a granary in the act of dissecting a rabbit; and at the age of twelve he had made such progress in his class, that he was entrusted with the care of the anatomical theatre. This precocious boyhood was the prelude to a manhood of great professional eminence. After practising for eight years with marked ability in the army, he returned to Paris in 1700, and took a high position as a promoter of surgical science. His Traité sur les Maladies des Os, published in 1705, originated a new branch of pathology. His appointment to the office of lecturer in the School of Surgery in 1724, and to the directorship of the Royal Academy of Surgery in 1731, inaugurated and established a new system of chiro-surgical instruction. His numerous pupils, also, carried his principles to the most remote countries. He died in 1750, the most famous surgeon in Europe. An extensive work on surgery, which Petit left unfinished, was completed and published by Dr Lesné, under the title of Traité sur les Maladies Chirurgicales, Paris, 1774. His other productions are contained in the Mémoires of the Academy of Surgery, and in those of the Academy of Sciences.