Bertrand, John Baptist

, a French physician, and member of the academy of Marseilles, was born at Martigue in Provence, July 12, 1670. He was at first intended for the church, and went through a theological course, but his inclination leading him to medicine, he studied the same at Montpellier. After having practised for some time in his native country, he removed with his family to Marseilles. His three colleagues at the HotelDieu of that city having withdrawn their services during the contagious fever of 1709, he remained alone to prescribe for the poor sufferers, and escaped without an attack, which probably encouraged him to show the same zeal during the plague in 1720. On this occasion, however, he saw almost his whole family fall a sacrifice to their humane care of the sick, and was himself attacked with the disorder, but at length recovered, and the government, in consideration of his services, granted him a pension, which he enjoyed until his death, Sept. 10, 1752. He was a | man of amiable temper, disinterested, kind and ingenuous. He wrote, 1. “Relation historique de la Peste de Marseille,” Lyons, 1721, 12mo. 2. “Lettres sur le mouvement des Muscles et sur les Esprits Animaux.” 3. “Reflexions sur le systeme de la Trituration,” published in the Journal de Trevoux. 4. “Dissertation sur l’air maritime,” Marseilles, 4.to, &c. ¹