Joseph, counsellor of state and first physician at the court of France, was born at Aix, in Provence, and resided principally there till he took the degree of doctor of physic. After this he prosecuted his studies for some years at Montpellier, and having returned to Aix, he soon acquired extensive practice, and became eminent for literary abilities. He resided there till the year 1750, when he was invited to act as physician to the royal infirmary at Versailles. There he practised with such reputation and success, that he soon arrived at the head of his profession; and in the year 1774, upon the death of M. Senac, he was appointed chief physician. His extensive engagements in practice did not prevent him from cultivating the science of physic in all its branches, and from freely communicating to others the result of his own studies. He published many valuable works, amongst which the following may be accounted the most remarkable, viz. 1. Elementa Physiologica; 2. Precis de la Medecine; 3. Precis de la Matiere Medicale; 4. Essais Anatomiques; 5. Synopsis universae praxes Medicine; 6. Historia Anatomico-Medica. He died at Versailles in 1780, aged seventy-eight.