STEPHEN-FRANCIS, a physician eminent for his chemical and botanical knowledge, was born at Paris in the year 1672, where his father kept an apothecary's shop, and had been several times in the magistracy. He received a liberal education; and, while prosecuting the study of medicine, he had conferences at his father's house with Caffini, du Verney, Homberg, and other men of distinguished eminence. At Montpellier he attended the lectures of the most able professors of physic, and afterwards visited the south of France, carefully viewing every object deserving of his attention. He accompanied count de Tallard to England in 1698, where he became acquainted with the chief men of science, and was made a member of the Royal Society. He next went into Holland, and in 1700 he attended the abbe de Louvois in a tour to Italy. He was, on his return, made bachelor of medicine in 1702, and, in two years after, he was created M.D. One of his theses was on the question, "Au hominis primordio vermis?" which was translated into French for the sake of some ladies of exalted rank, by whom it was deemed interesting.

Geoffroy did not hastily commence the practice of medicine, continuing the prosecution of his studies in retirement for some years. He never appeared anxious to push himself forward, although his knowledge made him be often consulted by several gentlemen of the faculty. He was so concerned for the recovery of his patients, that it gave him an air of melancholy, which at first alarmed them, till they became acquainted with the cause. He was, in 1709, made professor of physic by the king to the Royal College, vacant by the death of the celebrated Tournefort. He began with lectures on materia medica; and in 1712, M. Fagon resigned to him the chemical chair: on both which topics Geoffroy lectured with unwearied fidelity. He was twice chosen to the office of dean by the faculty of Paris, and he filled a place in the Royal Academy of Sciences, from the year 1699. His health at last yielded to his toils, and he died in January, 1731. He is known to the chemical world by his table of affinities, far superior to any which had appeared before his time. His greatest work was his History of the Materia Medica, which, in an unfinish'd state, was published after his death in the year 1741, in 3 vols. 8vo.