Barthez

Barthez, Paul Joseph, born at Montpellier in 1734, took his doctorate in medicine early, and went to Paris, where he was soon allied with the highest intellects, assisting D'Alembert in the famous Encyclopedie. After brief employment as medical officer of the army in Westphalia, he obtained a professorship of medicine at Montpellier in 1759. Here he remained till 1780, when he was appointed physician to the king, and Napoleon, as first consul, retained his services. His many scientific works show an accurate knowledge of anatomy, and of the mechanical and chemical branches of his profession, but he also recognised, under the name of Vital Principle, a physiological force as playing an important part in the functions of the human organism. He died in 1806.