Gerard Van, an eminent Dutch physician, was born at Leyden in 1700. He studied at Louvain, and subsequently at Leyden, where he soon became the favourite pupil of Boerhaave. Having graduated in medicine, he was soon after appointed to a professorship, but objection was taken to his being a Roman Catholic, and he was forced to resign his claim. In 1745 he was chosen first physician to Maria Theresa of Austria, and he used all his influence for many years to improve the scientific standing of the city of Vienna. The work by which he is now chiefly known to physicians is his Commentaria in Hermanii Boerhaeui Aphorismos de cognoscendis et curandis morbis, 5 vols. 4to, 1741-42. Swietan was created a baron of the empire of Austria by Maria Theresa. He died in 1772, and a statue has been erected to his memory in the hall of the University of Vienna.