Helvetius, John Claude

, son of the above, was born in 1685, and rose to be a practitioner of eminence. He was first physician to the queen, counsellor of state, and greatly esteemed by the town as well as court. He was, like his father, inspector-general of the military hospitals. He was a member of the academy of sciences at Paris, of the royal society in London, and of the academies of Berlin, Florence, and Bologna. He cured Louis XV. of a dangerous disorder, which attacked him at the age of seven years, and obtained afterwards the entire confidence of the queen also. Whenever he attended as a physician, he was regarded as a friend, such was the goodness and benevolence of his character. He was particularly attentive to the poor. He died July 17, 1755. He was the author of, 1 “Idee Generale de J'economie animale, 1722,” 8vo. 2. “Principia Physico-Medica, in tyronum Medicinae gratiam conscripta,” 2 vols. 8vo. This latter work, though drawn up for pupils, may yet be serviceable to masters. He also published some papers in the Memoirs of the academy of sciences for 1718, 1719, and 1721. ¹