Bontius, James

, called by some, John, a native of Leyden, was educated in philosophy and medicine under his father, Gerard; and being sent to the East Indies, practised physic at Batavia about the middle of the seventeenth century. On his return to Europe he wrote several valuable works on the diseases and practice of medicine of India, These are, “De conservanda Valetudine, ac dieta sanis in India observandis;” “Methodus modendi, qua oportet in India orientali uti;” “Observationes selectse ex dissectione cadaverum ac autopsia descriptae.” He also published curious observations relating to the botany and natural history of those regions, especially the vegetables used in medicine and diet, in his work entitled “De Medicina Indorum,” in 1642, and afterwards, with Alpinus’s work, “De Medicina Ægyptiorum,” 1718, 4to. He also published “Historia Nat. et Med. Indise orientalis,” 1658, fol. His brother Reyner was many years professor of | medicine at Leyden, and rector of the university. He died in 1623. ¹