John, a celebrated physician, was born in the year 1684, at the little town of Savoy, in the province of Languedoc. His father, who was a Protestant clergyman, bestowed particular pains upon the earliest part of his education. After which he went to the university of Montpelier, where he was created master of arts in the year 1700. He then began the study of medicine; and, in two years, obtained the degree of bachelor, having upon that occasion written a dissertation on the cause of fermentation, which he defended in a very spirited manner. On the 25th of January 1703 he was created doctor of physic; after which, before arriving at extensive practice he applied to the study of medical authors, both ancient and modern, with uncommon assiduity. The good effects of this study soon appeared; for, in the year 1710, he published a treatise concerning muscular motion, from which he acquired very high reputation. In the year 1717, he was appointed to teach medicine at Montpelier; which he did with such perspicuity and eloquence. Asturias, quence, that it was universally said he had been born to be a professor. His fame soon rose to such a height, that the king assigned him an annual salary; and he was, at the same time, appointed to superintend the mineral waters in the province of Languedoc. But as Montpellier did not afford sufficient scope for his aspiring genius, he went to Paris with a great flock of manuscripts, which he intended to publish, after subjecting them to the examination of the learned. Soon after, however, he left it, having in the year 1729 accepted the office of first physician to the king of Poland. In this capacity he remained only for a short time, and he again returned to Paris. Upon the death of the celebrated Geoffroy, in the year 1731, he was appointed regius professor of medicine at Paris. The duties of this office he discharged in such a manner as to answer even the most fangnike expectations. He taught the practice of physic with so great applause, as to draw from other universities to that of Paris a great concourse of medical students, foreigners as well as natives of France. At the same time he was not more celebrated as a professor than a practitioner. And, even at an advanced age, he persevered with unwearyed assiduity in that intense study which first raised his reputation. Hence it is that he has been enabled to transmit to posterity so many valuable monuments of his medical erudition. He died, universally regretted, on the 15th of May 1766, in the 82nd year of his age.